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Election Day Open Thread!

Please share your thoughts on the election and your personal experiences at the polls today in the comments below. In particular, answer these questions:

1. What motivated you to go out to the polls and vote?

2. If you could add a comment on your Ballot for your elected officials to read, what would you say?

Feel free to add anything else you think is relevant too!

This post will remain at the top of the EV blog all day today and newer posts, including video from the polling places, will be posted below throughout the day. Please check back and stay with the conversation! And keep an eye on channel17.org as the day progresses for election results, live video from around the state, and more.

Add your comments below. If you get confused, you can click here for easy instructions.

Posted by admin on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 at 12:05 pm.

17 Responses to “Election Day Open Thread!”

We voted at the Burlington Electric Dept. today and it was busy and bustling, but going very smoothly. The folks managing things were doing an excellent job.

I was going to shoot video of myself filling out my ballot, but it was so busy I didn’t want to freak anyone out with my little video camera. But then as I inserted my ballots into the counting machine, a big TV news camera was totally shooting the process and I felt silly for being scared of shooting with my tiny camera. :)

Left by admin on November 4th, 2008

Voting was a piece of cake today…no lines, but there were a bunch (5 or so) people present while I was there that didn’t appear to be on the voter rolls for some reason…who knows why…

1. This is an historic election where we’ll be electing the first black President, and, of course, I am VERY excited for a change from the disasterous policies of the GOP & the Bush Regime.

2. End the War in Iraq & fix the way that we pay for our health care in this country!

Left by Mister Guy on November 4th, 2008

In Monkton, at around 8 am today, I submitted the 226th ballot (according to the voting machine — which I guess probably includes early voting).

As always, voting in Monkton does not require any waiting in lines.

Left by Vermonter on November 4th, 2008

I was third in line in Waterbury this morning around 6:30 a.m. People started showing up after that … but I was the first ballot counted this morning!

Why vote? Um…don’t need motivation. I’m always eager to celebrate my democracy! Ever since I could vote, I’ve voted.

What message would I leave? I will pray every day that the decisions you and our government make will have a positive impact on the world.

Left by Elaine on November 4th, 2008

What motivated me? More than anything else, I want to crush and humiliate the right wing as much as humanly possible, to the extent that it will be an uphill battle for them to even think about ruining this country again. Obama’s far from perfect but is light years ahead of McCain and Bible Spice by every stretch of the imagination.

Left by JD Ryan on November 4th, 2008

this is great guys!
I took my two kids(6 months and 2 yrs) out this morning to experience voting for the first time.
My motivation? I feel like its a civic responsibility and in this election in particular it feels to me like its the most important election of my life so far. I vote for my kids future.

Left by Nathan Beaman on November 4th, 2008

1. What motivated you to go out to the polls and vote?
Aside from the fact that voting’s the very atomic essence of democracy, our country’s still the standard bearer for democracy, and not voting would be a reprehensible insult to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who gave their very lives for the ostensible preservation of democracy, I can’t think of a single reason.

2. If you could add a comment on your Ballot for your elected officials to read, what would you say?
We ain’t forgettin’!

Left by Nate Orshan on November 4th, 2008

The polls in Shelburne were busy when I voted at 10am but no lines. I interviewed several voters for tonight’s show on Channel 17 and all of them told me the presidential election motivated them to get out and vote today.

Left by Jess Wilson on November 4th, 2008

My wife Katie and I voted in Winooski this morning with our 9 month old son. There was a decent size line however it sounds like we missed the rush as city clerk Pauline Schmoll is quoted as saying the turnout has been “huge”.

Left by Seth Mobley on November 4th, 2008

Marshfield was in and out, no problems, plus cookies, coffee, and I got to play with the town clerk’s gavel, an added bonus.

Left by JD Ryan on November 4th, 2008

I just got my hair cut (I’m going to be on TV tonight, after all) and my hair dresser was complaining about the electoral college. She was frustrated that her vote in the presidential race doesn’t really count because she lives in Vermont, and VT’s three electoral votes are almost certainly going to Obama (the latest polling has Obama up by almost 26 points over McCain in VT). I sympathized with her. I’m honestly not sure why presidential races aren’t a popular vote.

Left by admin on November 4th, 2008

What the?…..CNN just had a hologram of a reporter on the campaign trail appearing to be right in their studio.

Left by Seth Mobley on November 4th, 2008

Voting in Danville is pretty easy. I stopped by the town hall after work at about 5:30 and had to wait about 3 minutes to get into a booth.

More interesting was my day at school (The St. Johnsbury Academy). Most of my students aren’t 18 and the frustration was palpable. I reassured them that they’ll be the ones who re-elect Obama in four years. Several bragged that they made their parents flip to Obama and EVERYBODY wanted to talk about the election. Good for them.

Left by Dan Zucker on November 4th, 2008

Obama won.

Left by Haik Bedrosian on November 5th, 2008

How you think when the economic crisis will end? I wish to make statistics of independent opinions!

Left by ooopinionsss on December 2nd, 2008

Nothing seems to be easier than seeing someone whom you can help but not helping.
I suggest we start giving it a try. Give love to the ones that need it.
God will appreciate it.

Left by vexammapeadia on January 22nd, 2009

Merry Christmas to all… and to all a good night.

Left by marthafines on December 25th, 2009

Something to say?