Transit Tax Election 2007 - Voting has begun

[dubone]

This thread is NOT for the debate of the tax, which we effectively have three other threads on. It is purely to share your voting plans, to share information on voting, and to share the experience of voting this year.

Early voting has begun and will run for two weeks through November 3. If you are not familiar with Early Voting in North Carolina, you can show up to any of the locations listed in the following link during operating hours for that day. It doesn't matter which one you show up to as long as you are a resident of Mecklenburg County.

http://meckboe.org/pages/Election/EarlyVot...EarlyVoting.pdf

One thing that many people do not know about is that during early voting, you can also REGISTER right before you vote. If you are a resident of Mecklenburg county, bring one of the documents listed in the following form. There is now no excuse for not voting as long as you live here:

http://meckboe.org/pages/Voter/SameDay.html

Election day this year is Tuesday, November 6. On election day, you will need to be registered prior to showing up, and you will need to go to your specific precinct voting location.

Click here to view your voting location:

http://meckboe.org/AddressSearch.aspx

Click here to view your registration information to make sure you are registered. I will repeat that if you are not registered and in their system, you can still show up during early voting to register and vote.

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/NCSBE/VR/voter...votersearch.asp

Regarding the transit vote, be sure to understand that to KEEP the transit tax, you vote double negatively, "AGAINST the repeal...". If you want to REMOVE the transit tax, you vote "FOR the repeal".

As this is an off year election, turn out is important. In general, elections like this do not pull a good sampling of the voting population, so it is incumbent on people who care about an issue or person on the ballot to show up and to campaign others to show up.

[Mobuchu]

I wish UP was a good representation of Mecklenburg county....

I always try to take advantage of early voting. Always afraid that something will come up election day and I will miss my chance. Plus its nice to avoid the lines.

[Conformity]

I voted on Thursday last week at the Board of Elections office on Kenilworth.

I thought the new machines were pretty slick. The volunteers were very helpful as usual.

Don't go alone to vote. There should be at least one person in the car with you. I was out with our marketing director on other business and drug him along with me.

I couldn't agree more with Dubone. Turnout is key. Put people in your car.

[Bled_man]

I won't be able to vote for this because I moved to Fort Mill earlier this year, but I have already told my brother to vote against the repeal.

[dubone]

I think many people have the assumption that they can tune out to all of it, and things will generally just be typical and nothing extreme will happen. Regardless of your position, it certainly helps to talk to your friends, colleagues and family about the fact that this will be a major change for the city.

Most of the people I have talked to have been clueless about local politics and had no intention of voting. Without a hard sell (in fact the softest sell I could muster in order to be as professional and courteous as possible), a few of them now plan to vote.

I agree that coordinating trips to the polls will help.

[Charlotte_native]

I voted on Thursday last week at the Board of Elections office on Kenilworth.

I thought the new machines were pretty slick. The volunteers were very helpful as usual.

Don't go alone to vote. There should be at least one person in the car with you. I was out with our marketing director on other business and drug him along with me.

I couldn't agree more with Dubone. Turnout is key. Put people in your car.

[monsoon]

I got another card that I mentioned in the other thread from the Anti-Repeal people. On the other hand, in driving around the lake and other portions of Charlotte have noticed the Vote For Repeal signs easily outnumber the Repeal the Tax signs. I would say the number is 10 to 1.

I am gonna go out on a limb and say, what is often said, that all politics are local, and at least from the way I have been bombarded about voting in the local elections up here, and the number of political signs that have sprung up, and stories about signs being stolen being put in the paper, that turnout in the Northern towns is not going to be unusually light. People won't necessairly be going to vote on the transit tax, but while they are there, it will be something they do.

[atlrvr]

On the other hand, in driving around the lake and other portions of Charlotte the Vote For Repeal signs easily outnumber the Repeal the Tax signs. I would say the number is 10 to 1.

[monsoon]

The wording on the ballot was dictated by the NC statute under which the repeal measure was placed on the ballot. It was posted elsewhere on the site but the statute essentially says how it must be worded. One effect is to keep the local election boards from wording it in a way not intended by the people seeking repeal.

[dubone]

I went and voted just now. Unfortunately I couldn't bring anyone, but I have convinced not a few people of the importance of voting, so I feel like I've balanced out not physically dragging someone. I did bring my puppy, but she is too young to vote, and she is opposed to CATS anyway because they always jump out of bushes and scare the bejeezus out of her.

I do have to say it was a bummer to not see Mumford on the ticket. I always felt like he was fair minded and worked for the things that I felt personally inclined to support. I am clueless on school board people, but I generally just vote for the ones I know aren't on the board now, as incumbency seems to be a problem there.

I found myself reading the wording of the transit vote three or four times. It is bizarre, but I was paranoid that I'd vote the wrong way, even though I knew in advance what it meant.

Anyway, the lines were non-existent, so it is highly convenient to do the early voting. You'll just want to watch over the senior lady that inevitably checks you in, types in the correct precinct and stuff.

[cinco]

i agree about mumford. he seems to be a pragmatic thinker who was generally working for the future of charlotte. obviously not a career politician - he says he wants to focus on his job that has a 401 k. i do hope to see him back in local politics again someday.

*plus he answered my 2 emails that i sent to him... and they weren't stock replies.

[Spartan]

I was sorry to hear about Mumford not running. He is someone who really gets it when it comes to transportation issues.

[RiverwoodCLT]

I plan to vote on election day. I was at our block captains meeting Sunday night and all will vote against repeal. This is the time for everyone setup and speak their mind by voting. If you do not vote do not complain. I am also disappointed that Mumford is not running.

[atlrvr]

^ Not to take this off topic, but for all those who lament Mumford not running, check out Ed Peacock....he seems to be the closest alternative.

[Miesian Corners]

I voted last Thursday at the Board of Elections on Kenilworth. There was actually a line to cast a ballot. I like the new machines, too. I especially like the fact they print your vote and you can see it.

[Raintree21]

I voted today just before noon. No line at all at the BOE. I was in and out in about 10 minutes, if that.

Does anyone on here have or want to put together a spreadsheet of who stands for what so people can know whom to support if they don't know what each candidate stands for? I know the Observer usually does something similar but that's not until the day of or day before the election I think.

[dubone]

I must say that I'm annoyed that my sign was stolen from my property. I think that sign stealing is inappropriate on both sides. Not only is it on my property, but it is my freedom to express my beliefs.

[jednc]

^ I can't believe someone would do that. That sucks. It is YOUR right to express your opinion and it's really unamerican to do something like stealing a political sign.

On another note...I voted yesterday. I was in and out...very easy. I'm trying to convince a friend of mine who just moved here to get on with getting a new license so he can register to vote and then do so.

[Bled_man]

I was listening to a country radio station this morning (probably one of the few from this board ) and the traffic update was sponsored by Vote Against the Repeal. I like the fact that they were advertising on this station and the irony of sponsoring a traffic update was pretty funny as well.

[monsoon]

....

On another note...I voted yesterday. I was in and out...very easy. I'm trying to convince a friend of mine who just moved here to get on with getting a new license so he can register to vote and then do so.

[Justadude]

^ You can register to vote at the same time you get your license. This is particularly suited for recent transplants.

[voyager12]

I did my civic duty today at BOE There was no line and the new machines are quite nifty. I must have gone over the transit tax question a dozen times. I was paranoid to make sure I voted against repeal. I have the warm fuzzies for making my electoral voice heard......

[dubone]

^ I can't believe someone would do that. That sucks. It is YOUR right to express your opinion and it's really unamerican to do something like stealing a political sign.

On another note...I voted yesterday. I was in and out...very easy. I'm trying to convince a friend of mine who just moved here to get on with getting a new license so he can register to vote and then do so.

[monsoon]

If your post was deleted, it's because you started debating the transit tax which is not to take place in this thread.

[reverbandwhiskey]

Voted at the downtown library yesterday. It was a ghost town in there. Maybe 10 volunteers, nobody else voting.