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Post by kiyoat on Oct 22, 2020 7:45:00 GMT -6
This is not meant to be a political discussion, only a measure of voting participation. I'm not asking for your party or candidate affiliation, and the voting is anonymous.
All indicators are predicting a record turnout at the polls nationally, which I consider a good thing (regardless of the reasons).
This upper-Midwest region already has some of the highest voter participation rates in the country. In the 2016 presidential election, most of the states from Montana to Wisconsin had participation rates between 60 and 75% (South Dakota was closer to the national average at 59%).
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Post by GoYotes on Oct 22, 2020 8:31:01 GMT -6
Still remember the first time I voted and what a privilege it was to do so. It was my freshman year at USD and I voted absentee and had my absentee ballot notarized at the book store. Our native son, George McGovern, was running for President in that election.
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seayote
Sophomore Member
Posts: 180
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Post by seayote on Oct 22, 2020 10:55:59 GMT -6
I appreciate the spirit in which the poll was developed, but there should be another choice called "I early-voted", which is too often confused with absentee voting -- even by the South Dakota media. Early voting is done in the courthouse and in the presence of an election official (auditor) prior to election day. Absentee voting involves a request for a mailed ballot, which is marked somewhere other than the courthouse or a polling place. I early-voted. However folks choose to do it, please get informed and exercise your right to vote.
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Post by kiyoat on Oct 22, 2020 11:41:37 GMT -6
I appreciate the spirit in which the poll was developed, but there should be another choice called "I early-voted", which is too often confused with absentee voting -- even by the South Dakota media. Early voting is done in the courthouse and in the presence of an election official (auditor) prior to election day. Absentee voting involves a request for a mailed ballot, which is marked somewhere other than the courthouse or a polling place. I early-voted. However folks choose to do it, please get informed and exercise your right to vote. Good catch. I would edit the poll, but I would have to wipe it and start over. If I had understood this better, I'd probably still have combined absentee and early voting rather than separate the two. I would just eliminate the word "absentee" from the poll option. Saying "I've already voted" would cover both.
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Post by kiyoat on Oct 22, 2020 13:42:23 GMT -6
What a strange and interesting election this will be, with all the early voting. Everything is strange this year.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 23, 2020 1:03:14 GMT -6
It is my opinion that anyone that does not vote and elects to just cast aside what makes our democracy doesn't have a voice in the argument whichever side you are on. If you don't vote you don't really have a right to bitch and moan. I have voted in every single presidential election since I have been of eligible age. I never buy the argument that "no candidate is worth voting for". Even if there are two bad candidates there is always a better option how ever your beliefs define better.
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Post by Yotes on Oct 23, 2020 8:50:49 GMT -6
Mailed in my ballot about 3 weeks ago and checked the Minnesota website to confirm it was received. I also voted by mail for the state primary this summer.
I voted in person on Super Tuesday (while also registering as a MN voter - big fan that you can register at the polling place on election day here) and am never going to make myself do that again after seeing how convenient the absentee process is.
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Post by Yote 53 on Oct 23, 2020 9:53:03 GMT -6
Everybody should vote but I am not a fan of really early voting, a couple days leading up to the election is sufficient. I think we should wait to vote until all the information is out there or at least until the debates are finished. Last night there were some interesting moments in that debate and some revelations that might have people reconsidering their vote.
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Post by kiyoat on Oct 23, 2020 11:34:43 GMT -6
Yeah, I'd say the group that puts the debate schedule together maybe should have thought about all the early voting and adjusted for that by getting the debates done earlier. Voting early is a choice, though, not a mandate. Those that have chosen to do it are probably not super undecided or on-the-fence, I'd wager.
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Post by Yote 53 on Oct 23, 2020 14:31:32 GMT -6
You're probably right about that.
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Post by Yotes on Oct 23, 2020 18:59:15 GMT -6
Everybody should vote but I am not a fan of really early voting, a couple days leading up to the election is sufficient. I think we should wait to vote until all the information is out there or at least until the debates are finished. Last night there were some interesting moments in that debate and some revelations that might have people reconsidering their vote. I honestly can't imagine anyone's opinion changing from these debates. These are the two candidates that we've seen and heard from for at least the last year. Journalists holding them accountable at any point during this cycle would have yielded whatever revelations you refer to. I'll maintain that voting anytime in October is perfectly reasonable and generally seems to be the standard for mail/early/absentee voting.
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Post by kiyoat on Oct 24, 2020 8:46:30 GMT -6
I have to admit that I didn’t vote at all until I was almost 30. Why not? I honestly couldn’t tell you. Disinterest, lack of motivation, failure to plan ahead and get registered, self-absorption, all likely played a part.
I remember Post-graduation from USD In 2000 being much more aware of the presidential election due to the whole Florida situation (I was 24 then, remember the line from Tommy Boy?, I’m not a doctor).
My first time voting came four years later. Now I won’t ever miss a chance to vote, but I also understand why some people don’t.
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Post by Yote 53 on Oct 24, 2020 19:42:03 GMT -6
I actually do think there are undecided voters out there or voters who are looking for more information in the debates. Not everybody follows the 24 hour political news cycle and there is new information that comes out.
Case in point, I have been down in West Texas all week in the Permian Basin. VP Biden has kind of gone back and forth on fracking. He got really pinned down in the debate and at the end came out and said he would end the oil industry. You can about imagine how that played down here. The next day the outrage, yes outrage, was everywhere here. I'm guessing that statement did not play well in other oil producing states, among them Pennsylvania and New Mexico, swing states.
The oil industry and the businesses who support the oil industry is huge for some states and, frankly, for the entire country as it makes up about 5% of the economy. If I was back in SoDak that exchange at the debate might not have meant as much to me. Being here and seeing the response firsthand made an impression.
I'm sure there were statements that Trump made that didn't play well in some states too. Point is some real interesting information came out of that last debate, probably because it wasn't a sh*tshow like the last one.
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Post by kiyoat on Oct 28, 2020 7:53:23 GMT -6
Well, if our tiny sample is representative of the state (it's not), we can expect a record 87% turnout, with 70% absentee/early voting! I'll plan on getting in line early at the polls, just in case, but maybe all this early voting will make for shorter lines? who knows.
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Post by coyote70 on Oct 28, 2020 8:22:51 GMT -6
Maybe the reason more people don't vote is that frankly they are exhausted by the whole process. It has been estimated that our presidential elections last about 600 days. Days that could have been used to debate and pass laws or at least get something accomplished on behalf of the American people.
I plan to vote but am turned off by the glut of misinformation, dishonesty and lack of unbiased reporting that comes up every four years. We can do better.
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