This past summer the state sent out a “do you want a mail-in ballot” form and it asked about the primary and general election. I checked both boxes so wasn’t surprised when the ballot for November showed up two weeks back.
I had actually intended on going on election day to vote but YA wanted to vote early. In fact, she was rather adamant about it. So we both filled out the ballot and got then into the envelopes to mail. That was when she informed me that she didn’t want to mail the ballots because she was worried about the postal service getting clogged up. I said I didn’t think that was likely, but certainly not a month out. But I acquiesced and looked up where you could drop your ballot off. Downtown. Ick. I detest driving downtown and I didn’t want to pay $10-$15 for parking either. But the drive-by drop-off in August didn’t happen until just a few days before the primary and YA was nagging me every day; I knew she wouldn’t want to wait until the end of October.
So yesterday I took a deep breath and looked up the exact location for drop-off and was ready to drive downtown and take the plunge when I saw a link to drive-by drop-off. Yesterday was the first day! As I headed into town I was a bit worried that it would be hard to find or that there would be big crowds, but I worried needlessly. As I turned right onto 4th Avenue South, there were big banners at the sidewalk and there was only one other car in the drop-off area. The worker who came out to take the ballots was friendly and helpful. I mentioned that I was glad the weather was so accommodating and hoped it would stay that way. She told me that they would actually be getting a tent soon so they would be able to operate in the rain. Way to think it through Minnesota!
How will you be placing your vote this election? In person? Mail-in? Drop-off? Drive-through?
Trail Baboon 
We voted about a week ago. Dropped them off at the East Hennepin site.
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Voted the day they came. Mailed them in. Have trouble believing they would have trouble arriving on time to a place 2 miles away. Did not know they have a drop off site in Mankato, but they do.
As it happens the next day I mailed an envelope not that much smaller to a place next door to the government center. It arrived the next day. (They called me about it.) To drop it off would have required me to go through a covid screening. I am tired of those. I have been through many of those screenings. The symptoms list gets longer every time. Last week we went through the same place for the 6th time. When she got done with the list, I said to her that a man my age has a few of those symptoms all the time. She laughed.
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Ah, IKcan see the print now.
Speaking of covid testing, I broke two long strings that ran through the summer. First string was I had coffee on the patio early every morning from June i to October 2, I made sure I got that special time for myself. I was never bothered by bugs, which is why this string is so unusual compared to past years. Never had a hot morning. Sat through a few rains, my favorite way to be out there protected by the stack of two decks above me. 30 degree weather and some early morning calls stopped the string. But I just came in from out there. Only missed Saturday.
Second string: I went from the middle of January to last week without getting my hair cut. The two weeks or so before covid locked us in were a very busy time for me. When the barber shop opened I was afraid to go there because it has so many clients I am sure would be mask deniers. But there too I got a thorough covid screening and they were falling all the distance and cleaning requirements. Left my mask on even as they cut my hair.
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I applied for absentee ballots for the primary and for the general election in June. Both were mailed to me in plenty of time. I mailed the ballot for the primary election back two weeks before the primary and was able to track it easily online at MNvotes.org. I received my ballot for the general election a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed being able to look it over and research all the candidates I didn’t already know. I dropped it off yesterday in a room designated for voting at the City Hall where I live. There were several people there waiting in line with me but all were wearing masks and trying to stay 6 feet apart. I thought it all went very well and Minnesota’s efforts to allow us to vote using absentee ballots was helpful.
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I filled in my ballot the same day it arrived – about 2 weeks ago. Since the drop off site was quite far from my house, I went to the local Post Office to mail it. A few days later I checked the State of MN website and verified that it had been received, accepted, and will be counted. The only downside was no “I voted early” sticker.
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Yes, I’d like one of the stickers, too. : )
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Probably in person. Long lines at the polls aren’t a major problem in O-town.
Chris in O-town
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Well, a year ago, if anyone had asked, you likely would have said, “My grocery store always has plenty of toilet paper.”
It’s probably not too late to sign up to be an election judge, if you are not concerned about the covid-19 risk.
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They gave me two “I Voted” stickers yesterday. So since they also sent us stickers when they sent the ballots,we now have four. I should send you one!
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We will vote in person. Lines aren’t too long here, either, but early voting starts Oct. 19 at the court house and I may do that. Husband is an election judge this year, and will be stationed at our mall.
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Rise and Shine Baboons,
Lou and I voted 2 weeks ago at the on-site voting location. Like YA, we did not trust the USPS to deliver it as needed. We were surprised at the steady stream of people there. It was not crowded at all, but all the voter kiosks were being used. The entire thing seemed like it was well-planned and thought out. I also was impressed. I did forget the inside envelope at first, so I had to carefully peel the outer envelope open, then insert the ballot into the inner envelope, then the outer envelope, then re-seal it. But I often do not pick up such details—not the system’s fault.
OT. RE: dog recovery. Bootsy goes to the vet today to have her last drain removed, as well as a few stitches. She is lively and seems to be feeling well, thank goodness. She has lost some weight, though. The meds she has been on reduce appetite. The dogs who probably did the mauling have not been present at the neighbor’s house. We went to central Iowa Saturday to visit my mother, who I had not seen since July 4. We took Bootsy with us and she tolerated the trip without any problem, seeming to be happy to be traveling again. My mother, on the other hand, is not doing well and is failing rapidly.
RE: Iowa political signs. We noted many, many Biden-Harris political signs in Central Iowa and saw only 2 #45 signs, which is a distinct difference from 4 years ago. Also, re: their senate race, the Greenfield (D) signs were everywhere and the Ernst (R) signs were sparse. Greenfield is polling way ahead of Ernst right now, and family members were feeling confident. We also know that Lou’s cousin will be running for Iowa Governor in 2 years (D). He is now the state Auditor and making a big splash.
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Rice County, MN, always used to vote blue. Now it is covered with huge signs and flags that advertise Republican candidates. People have the rear window of their trucks painted (silk-screened?) with candidate names. I saw one that proposed crowning Trump king. Northfield has always been left-leaning, I think it still is, but even here are lots of signs for Republican candidates.
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Imagine the reaction if people had displayed images of Obama being crowned king when he was running for office.
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No kidding… shaking my head… WP won’t let me like anything no matter how many times I log in, but I do like your comment, Linda.
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I made an error when filling out my mail-in ballot, so we took it in person to the county office, she tore it up and gave me a new one which I filled in there and submitted. It’s easy to vote here in person if you’re skittish about the mail, and I do like how we can check online to see if it’s been recorded. I too am impressed with how Minnesota is handling this. Makes me so angry at you know who for stoking the fears.
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I got a voicemail on my phone a couple of weeks ago from a Trump operative in Wisconsin. The whole message was about how safe and secure voting by mail is.
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Huh!
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She really tore up the original ballot? That would not be the correct procedure in my county. All ballots that are spoiled go into a spoiled ballot envelope, in one piece.
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No, I was sort of using that as a figure of speech…
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I’m beginning to understand how false information gets into circulation. Glad Linda asked for clarification and that you provided it.
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Good point, duly noted, PJ.
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Good Morning-
We got our mail in ballots, just haven’t gotten them filled out yet. The drop off site is just across the street from the college I work at so that’s easy. (There are two sites; the one here and one downtown at the Gov’t Center)
I’m really curious to see how it goes at the polls this fall. I will be working as a judge again. We vote at our Townhall. Basically a one room school. We’ve ordered a tent to put up outside so that if we have a crowd, people can line up in there and not pile up inside the hall. We’ve adjusted the flow to keep people apart. We have about 1100 registered voters. Usually for a presidential election we’d have close to 90% turn out. We had 20% mail-in ballots for the primary. I’d expect closer to 40% – 50% mail in for this one.
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Our governor endorsed a Republican candidate to defeat a long time Republican state senator in the primary this summer. The governor’s candidate won the primary. Yesterday the governor ‘s candidate died and it is too late to put another breathing Republican candidate on the ballot.
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In the past 10 days, it appears that Karma has caught up with the GOP.
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In Minnesota, if a candidate dies and it’s too late to change the ballot, there is a special election called later. This is happening with the 2nd congressional district race this year.
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There doesn’t seem to be a similar law in ND.
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There wasn’t one in Minnesota until the plane crash that took Paul Wellstone’s life.
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The owner of my company does a companywide email every week with Covid updates and business updates. Today’s message had a big paragraph at the end about the importance of voting and how important strong leader ship is and although he didn’t actually come out and say the words, it didn’t take much reading between the lines to see that he is not supporting 45 at all. This is a revelation because the previous owner, his father, was very clear that he was conservative and Republican.
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Huzzah, Huzzah!
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I would normally be an election judge, but I have dropped out for this one. For the primary, I wasn’t expecting a lot of people to vote in person. I assumed the ballots would be mostly mailed or dropped off. But there were nearly four hundred people in the polling place during the course of the day, and that was just a primary. I was actually pretty upset that so many people insisted on voting in person.
Fortunately there was only one mask rebel at the primary, and they were persuaded to vote curbside. But that’s probably going to be worse on November 3rd, and that will slow things down. Could make for a really long day.
Then there is the issue of poll watchers – there is a procedure to be followed, and one poll watcher per party is allowed in each precinct, if they are signed up in advance. But I feel apprehensive about whether fans of a certain candidate will show up expecting to be election police and shouting about how the election is rigged when they are asked to leave. Hopefully they won’t come armed.
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I am wondering how far people will take the poll watching role, given #45’s attempted instigation of this particular thing. What concerns me is a few people don’t know when to stop.
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We had poll watchers for the Obama years. They were polite, reasonable people and followed the rules. I have zero confidence that that will be true this year.
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Wow! Who’d a thunk things would ever get this crazy?
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As I watched in disbelief when the 2016 election results came in, I had that sinking feeling that this just might be what the future would hold. DT has been every bit as nuts as I expected. What’s worse, the Republican party has pretty much stuck with him. I’m horrified at what another four years of this administration will do to this country, not to mention the world.
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#MeToo
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