Observation while voting just now at Leonardtown High

[kwillia]

In past elections I recall parking and walking towards the school and looking at the groups pride fully representing their candidate and putting on their inviting and engaging front in the hopes to make a positive impression and sway your choice when you select your candidates.

Today there was only one table and they were there to show and garner support for Trump. Nobody else was represented. Nobody else felt the need to drum up support for their candidate or party.

As I walked in I began to wonder exactly how many "our vote really doesn't matter so to hell with it" registered voters there are in the districts that feel left out of representation within the state. Are there enough that in a trickle don't make a dent but in a flood would command some notice so that maybe in future elections we'd at least have brightly dressed, smiling, engaging people waving their little flags in an effort of woo?

It hit me that as long as we stay away because "we really don't matter"... we really won't matter.

I may just be part of a trickle today, but I'll go to sleep hoping to have been part of a flood.

 

[Hijinx]

In past elections I recall parking and walking towards the school and looking at the groups pride fully representing their candidate and putting on their inviting and engaging front in the hopes to make a positive impression and sway your choice when you select your candidates.

Today there was only one table and they were there to show and garner support for Trump. Nobody else was represented. Nobody else felt the need to drum up support for their candidate or party.

As I walked in I began to wonder exactly how many "our vote really doesn't matter so to hell with it" registered voters there are in the districts that feel left out of representation within the state. Are there enough that in a trickle don't make a dent but in a flood would command some notice so that maybe in future elections we'd at least have brightly dressed, smiling, engaging people waving their little flags in an effort of woo?

It hit me that as long as we stay away because "we really don't matter"... we really won't matter.

I may just be part of a trickle today, but I'll go to sleep hoping to have been part of a flood.

I have never seen where the people who stand outside polls working for a candidate did much.
If any voter who is informed hasn't made up their mind by the time they get out of their car and walk to the polls , they should have stayed home.


But as I voted Wednesday at Hollywood early voting I noticed about 10 people at the Trump table talking and smiling and 3 people looking sad at Hillary's table.

 

[kwillia]

I have never seen where the people who stand outside polls working for a candidate did much.
If any voter who is informed hasn't made up their mind by the time they get out of their car and walk to the polls , they should have stayed home.

You missed my point entirely...

 

[Hijinx]

You missed my point entirely...

There isn't much real enthusiasm for either party if that is your point.
Pretty easy to understand as neither candidate is really worth a damn.

 

[kwillia]

There isn't much real enthusiasm for either party if that is your point.
Pretty easy to understand as neither candidate is really worth a damn.

Again...

 

[Hijinx]

Again...

Then splain it to this poor ignorant redneck.

I only hope those who didn't show up were Hillary voters.

 

[kwillia]

Then splain it to this poor ignorant redneck.

I was hoping you would ask...

I recall representation and enthusiasm for pretty much all the positions open to competition on the ballot... not just the presidency. Take Hoyer for example, for years I recall him making an effort in our area to drum up support and excitement and to visit our area and to call in to our local radio stations. There was a table/group of his supporters at my voting precinct representin' with their patriot attire Hell, as a registered democrat I would get the robo calls and the flyers reminding me to vote and hopefully that it was for him. This year I got one large cardboard postcard. When it came in the mail I tried to recall whether or not I had seen any signage in our area indicating that he cared to get our vote and I could only recall the one on the corner across from Burchmart in Hollywood.

I attribute it to the fact that it doesn't matter if he doesn't carry the majority in our precinct so him and his campaign managers don't waste their time, money or effort. Hence my original question... we are a precinct that grows in great numbers every year. Is it that we aren't voting that causes him and other candidates to not waste their time, money or effort? Congressional districts get redrawn in a couple years. Will it noticeably increase voter participation?

As for your comment that they don't do it because someone walking into the polling station already knows everyone they plan to vote for... that may be for true for their choice of presidential candidate but as for other positions the reason the candidate with the most money raised usually wins isn't because the general public has studied them profusely but rather bought into the "familiar feeling" bought and paid for by advertising and "get out the voters" trolling for votes.

I know I'm not the only one that remembers rows of woo'ing booths/tables... or am I stuck in another Berenstein vs. Berenstain parallel universe situation...

 

[b23hqb]

Ya'll vote in High Schools? Isn't there some other important work HS's should be doing, or do they have election day as a holiday?

 

[Gilligan]

Ya'll vote in High Schools? Isn't there some other important work HS's should be doing, or do they have election day as a holiday?

Been voting in schools in MD since...forever. I'm 58...been voting in the public school buildings my entire lifetime. And yep..it's a day off for the teachers and kids.

 

[black dog]

Ya'll vote in High Schools? Isn't there some other important work HS's should be doing, or do they have election day as a holiday?

Holiday

 

[Hijinx]

I was hoping you would ask...

I recall representation and enthusiasm for pretty much all the positions open to competition on the ballot... not just the presidency. Take Hoyer for example, for years I recall him making an effort in our area to drum up support and excitement and to visit our area and to call in to our local radio stations. There was a table/group of his supporters at my voting precinct representin' with their patriot attire Hell, as a registered democrat I would get the robo calls and the flyers reminding me to vote and hopefully that it was for him. This year I got one large cardboard postcard. When it came in the mail I tried to recall whether or not I had seen any signage in our area indicating that he cared to get our vote and I could only recall the one on the corner across from Burchmart in Hollywood.

I attribute it to the fact that it doesn't matter if he doesn't carry the majority in our precinct so him and his campaign managers don't waste their time, money or effort. Hence my original question... we are a precinct that grows in great numbers every year. Is it that we aren't voting that causes him and other candidates to not waste their time, money or effort? Congressional districts get redrawn in a couple years. Will it noticeably increase voter participation?

As for your comment that they don't do it because someone walking into the polling station already knows everyone they plan to vote for... that may be for true for their choice of presidential candidate but as for other positions the reason the candidate with the most money raised usually wins isn't because the general public has studied them profusely but rather bought into the "familiar feeling" bought and paid for by advertising and "get out the voters" trolling for votes.

I know I'm not the only one that remembers rows of woo'ing booths/tables... or am I stuck in another Berenstein vs. Berenstain parallel universe situation...

Well you are right. All the tables I saw were Clinton and Trump, Nobody else had a table Lots of signs no tables.
Don't know the reason.

 

[GURPS]

I attribute it to the fact that it doesn't matter if he doesn't carry the majority in our precinct so him and his campaign managers don't waste their time, money or effort.

IMHO - Hoyer does not need your votes to win ......

 

[libertytyranny]

In past elections I recall parking and walking towards the school and looking at the groups pride fully representing their candidate and putting on their inviting and engaging front in the hopes to make a positive impression and sway your choice when you select your candidates.

Today there was only one table and they were there to show and garner support for Trump. Nobody else was represented. Nobody else felt the need to drum up support for their candidate or party.

As I walked in I began to wonder exactly how many "our vote really doesn't matter so to hell with it" registered voters there are in the districts that feel left out of representation within the state. Are there enough that in a trickle don't make a dent but in a flood would command some notice so that maybe in future elections we'd at least have brightly dressed, smiling, engaging people waving their little flags in an effort of woo?

It hit me that as long as we stay away because "we really don't matter"... we really won't matter.

I may just be part of a trickle today, but I'll go to sleep hoping to have been part of a flood.

I noticed the same at GMHS, but it was a lone, single Clinton table with one person. Nothing else, very few signs, definitely not what I have seen in past elections. No chatting in th elines either. Pretty somber event overall.

 

[lucky_bee]

In my hometown in CT, local politics are yuuuggeee. For ANY election, even the presidential one, you will always see a line of tables on each side before the entrance - greeting all voters. Everyone is super enthusiastic, regardless of political affiliation. My mother has been on the Board of Ed there, and spends every election greeting all voters with coffee, donuts, goody-bags, candy, etc. I don't remember if schools are closed for the day, I vaguely remember going to the town hall to vote, so I don't think we used the schools...but most people take the whole day off so they can stay and bull#### with other locals and neighbors and friends. They chat over coffee and most family and friends of anyone running for a local position will stay at the town hall until they finish counting votes and announce winners to what feels like the whole town.

Granted, my town is small and has maybe one or two places to vote so it's much easier to coordinate tables and representatives. You're greeted by both parties for all the positions you're about to vote on. I do miss that. Locally, my town was always a little more red than blue, but CT is just like MD - blue where it matters.