• superkret@feddit.org
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    6 hours ago

    How the fuck does the US manage to make people stand in line for early voting?

    In every civilized country, you can show up on election day (when basically everyone has a free day cause it’s Sunday), you vote with maybe 3-4 people in line before you, and you’re done after 10 minutes.

    • Entropywins@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

      In the state of Oregon, I just get mailed a ballot and can either mail it back or drop it off…last year, I did a drive-through ballot drop off at the state capital.

    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
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      4 hours ago

      I like what california did last election: everyone got an absentee ballot. That way I could fill it out at home and drop it off at my polling location at my leisure. There was a line, but I got to walk past it.

  • Steal Wool@lemm.ee
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    5 hours ago

    Well, ya know what Grammy always said:
    Hope in one hand, shit in the other, and see which one fills up faster…

  • Angrywaffle2@lemmy.world
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    3 hours ago

    No matter who wins it won’t be our last election. I do know that the next one will definitely be the most important election of our lifetime though.

  • PetteriPano@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    I’ve never stood in like for early voting in the EU. I’ve done it at my supermarket while getting groceries.

    Grab a ballot and envelope, enter booth, do the thing, walk to desk, flash id, get crossed off list, watch volunteer put your envelope in another envelope and drop it in the ballot box.

    In-and-out, three minutes.

    Come to think of it, voting on election day has always been just as smooth. I just have to go to the library or some school, so it’s not as convenient.

    • vxx@lemmy.world
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      9 hours ago

      I never had to wait for longer than 5 minutes to vote and I never voted early. Mostly because it takes 10 minutes of my time on voting day, which is always a Sunday.

      Polling places can’t be further away than 1,5km I believe, so wherever you live, it will be close enough to just walk there.

      I have voted in schools, kindergardens, a community center and a church.

  • ZealousSealion@discuss.tchncs.de
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    11 hours ago

    It’s weird seeing queues for voting.

    When I vote, I walk to my local voting place, chat with people I know, vote, chat a bit more, then walk home. Perhaps half an hour, if I’m feeling chatty.

    • NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
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      5 hours ago

      I came here to say the same thing. Like I’ve waited behind a few people before in Cananda but a line going out the door and down the street is insane

    • neuracnu
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      10 hours ago

      This is what voter suppression looks like.

      I grew up in Missouri before moving to Washington state. When I reached voting age, it was (and still is) ridiculously common to see polling places in rural and suburban areas with no waiting to vote. Meanwhile, in the cities (which happen to vote more democratic), you’ll see loooong lines extending outside. When voting facilities and staff are not proportionally distributed to accommodate voter density, you get shit like this; voters in different districts receiving different treatment. And people who live there never know any better to ask for something different.

      This all blew my mind after living first in a suburban area, then an urban one, and now living in a state that has done voting my mail for decades. I love voting by mail. It’s unconcionable to me at this point for people to stand for in-person voting anymore.

    • CluelessLemmyng@lemmy.sdf.org
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      10 hours ago

      Where I live, we had early voting for a whole month now. We went during the second week - 0 minute wait. It took longer to walk into the building and follow the signs than it was to get my ballot, vote, and walk out.

  • 𝕾𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖞 𝕿𝖚𝖓𝖆@lemmy.world
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    11 hours ago

    Hello, fellow Okie.

    I know how this state is going to vote. It’s been a given every year for nearly six decades. But I’m still gonna vote, as I have in every election since I turned 18. Change doesn’t happen if those who want it get discouraged and sit their asses at home.

    What has really inspired me this year is the overwhelming majority of Harris-Walz signs in my neighborhood. I stopped counting, but I reckon there are at least thirty of them. I’ve seen a grand total of five Trump-Vance signs, and three of them are at the same house.

    Also, you get much rain last night? It was so good to finally hear thunder again. I had six tenths in my rain gauge this morning!

    Update: I stood in line for an hour and a half and cast my ballot. Next time around, I’ll remember to request my mail-in ballot on time lol

    • kyle@lemm.ee
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      10 hours ago

      Wow another Okie!

      Crazy storms in the Tulsa area for us btw. And probably why I also see Harris Walz signs. We’re about to get a Democrat for a mayor!

      • 𝕾𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖞 𝕿𝖚𝖓𝖆@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        I reeeeeeeally envy y’all for that flag. The design is dope.

        My house district represented by a Dem so it’s not that surprising to see Harris-Walz signs, but it IS surprising to see so many. As someone who grew up in the butt crack of Jackson County in DEEP Republican territory, it’s just such a breath of fresh air to be able to live around neighbors who aren’t crazy goobers.

    • Crozekiel@lemmy.zip
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      12 hours ago

      I’d be very happy just to see Oklahoma actually wait until the polls close to declare the republican presidential win…

      I swear every year, they decide it so early I am convinced the electors don’t even care what the vote counts are. There is no fucking way backwards as fuck Oklahoma figured out a way to accurately track and count votes faster than any other state - and voter turnout would need to be so high they know it can’t possibly turn around in the last 2 hours of the polls still being open? Yea right.

  • style99@lemm.ee
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    16 hours ago

    Don’t worry. Either way, there will still be elections. The real question is whether we start to see candidates “accidentally” falling out of windows or drinking poisoned tea, etc.

    • gibmiser@lemmy.world
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      15 hours ago

      Well they better be careful how far they push it, or else the super PAC leaders, the thinktanks, and the 1% are going to start dieing in interesting ways.

        • SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net
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          7 hours ago

          I vote absentee, as do most of the people I know, and after 2020, none of us are mailing our ballot back. We are taking them to the in-person voting areas and dropping them off with staff.

          In 2020, there were reports of ballots being dumped, and so far there have been reports of drop boxes set on fire and stuff… it’s hard to trust, because of republican stooges seeding chaos, and enough of a pain in the ass to fix if it gets messed up that we aren’t taking chances.

          Edit: seeing to seeding

  • zephorah@lemm.ee
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    16 hours ago

    The press has already walked back at the threat of Trump, so the autocracy has already begun. It’s happening, pre election.

  • misk@sopuli.xyz
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    14 hours ago

    Little bit of advice from Poland. I’ve seen this kind of mindset before.

    When liberals tell you losing will mean the end of democracy they exaggerate a lot. People grow tired of fighting with such high stakes so in the long run you just wear them out. Sure, if Trump wins things will suck definitely but it’s not the end of the world. Ultimately biggest political parties serve various oligarchs so once Dems are inevitably back some years from now you’ll notice not much is changing for you personally.

    • Kalysta@lemm.ee
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      9 hours ago

      It absolutely will be the end of the world for the women who die when an abortion could have saved them, for the immigrants dumped back into their war torn countries, and for the trans people that are forcibly detransitioned who then kill themselves because of the horror.

      Spoken like a true cis white male.

        • xthexder@l.sw0.com
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          7 hours ago

          Trump has also tried to cut medicare several times, while Harris wants to put a cap on out-of-pocket prescription prices and actually improve things instead of blaming everything on immigrants.

          I don’t appreciate your whataboutism. You’re arguing like it’s one or the other, bodily autonomy or better healthcare. The goal should be both. They’re not conflicting issues.

          • misk@sopuli.xyz
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            7 hours ago

            I understand what you feel, I was there too accusing others of „symmetrism”. You don’t want to see critique of your side or pointing out that others might not be entirely wrong because you feel like everything you do contributes in some small way to which side will win. But this only leads to dishonesty and overt hyperboles. You’ll be frustrated, anxious and sad when you lose so don’t do that to yourself.

            Maybe people voting for Trump don’t care about public healthcare because they don’t trust doctors in general. Maybe they feel that the entire healthcare industry is there to scam them and putting public money would be a waste. They’re probably wrong but you need to consider what led people to vote for someone that promises to dismantle the whole system. Maybe the root cause is something different and that’s what needs addressing first?

    • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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      11 hours ago

      Trump is litterally the one telling people that. “Im going to be dictator for a day”. “Vote for me and you’ll never have to vote again”. “We need to use the miltary to rid of the radicals”.

      If you’re truely polish, you should be well aware of what a man that says these things can do.

      • misk@sopuli.xyz
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        11 hours ago

        Do you believe everything Trump says? Is he somehow that one politician that’s going to keep his promises no matter how hard they are to implement? Do you believe everything Harris says?

        I’m Polish so I have a good estimate of how this is going to go. Trump is copying Orban / Kaczyński. Dems are copying Tusk who is seen as one to stop illiberal democracy in EU.

        If Dems lose they will say every single thing Trump does is an attack on democracy, even if there are rare instances of a broken clock is right twice a day. Ultimately this will erode trust in politics and public institutions even more. Then once Dems are back at the wheel they will want to remain in power so some of the bad things Trump did but people found okay will suddenly be okay. Been there, done that.

        • xthexder@l.sw0.com
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          7 hours ago

          “I’m going to shoot you in the face” - Man who can’t stop lying if their life depended on it.

          “I don’t believe you” - Last words of person shot in face.

          shocked pikachu face
          Maybe lets not risk it.

          • misk@sopuli.xyz
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            7 hours ago

            Yeah, I was shot by Trump to death twice yesterday. Try to get down go actual issues rather than whatever it is that you’re doing.

        • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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          10 hours ago

          When someone walks up to you with a gun pointed at your head threatening to end your life. Do you ignore them and carry on as if nothing is happening?

          Doesnt matter if they have no intention of causing harm, the threat needs to be treated as it were real because it absolutely can be real.

          • misk@sopuli.xyz
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            10 hours ago

            Nobody is pointing a gun at your head, you’re using an unnecessary and unproductive hyperbole. This kind of escalation is what’s going to erode remaining usefulness of political debate.

            I really hate to be the bearer of bad news. I don’t want any of this to happen. I hope others will learn from our mistakes.

            • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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              10 hours ago

              The same ccouldve been said for 1933 Germany. There were plenty of people then saying “he doesn’t really mean it. He’s just trying to rile up the masses for votes”. 6 years later they were rolling tanks through your country.

              Dont ever be compilict to someone making threats.

              • misk@sopuli.xyz
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                10 hours ago

                Or, maybe, it’s a bit of an overreaction and you don’t live in the ascent of new Nazi Germany but because you’re so hysterical now nobody is going to treat you seriously when actual bad things happen. Also been there, done that. I’m saying this with your best interest in mind because we already made those mistakes.

                Unfortunately US might be fucked due to two party system but the actual solution to your troubles is honest debate. Try to listen to what Trump voters are afraid of. Some of their concerns are probably valid but they have been misled by shrewd politicians. They won’t regain trust by treating them like children. Or nazis.

    • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      People grow tired of fighting with such high stakes so in the long run you just wear them out

      This is true.

      Sure, if Trump wins things will suck definitely but it’s not the end of the world. Ultimately biggest political parties serve various oligarchs so once Dems are inevitably back some years from now you’ll notice not much is changing for you personally.

      This is where I vehemently disagree. Just because you’re not going to be one of the first ones they target doesn’t mean it’s no big deal. They’re talking about using our local police to round millions of people up and put them in camps, and you’re going to sit there and tell me it’s not the end of the world? Get the fuck out of here.

      It’s okay to be tired. Fight anyway. That is what is required to maintain Democracy. Giving in to authoritarianism because it’s easier is a bitch move.

      • misk@sopuli.xyz
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        14 hours ago

        This is where I vehemently disagree. Just because you’re not going to be one of the first ones they target doesn’t mean it’s no big deal. They’re talking about using our local police to round millions of people up and put them in camps, and you’re going to sit there and tell me it’s not the end of the world? Get the fuck out of here.

        Your mistake is believing any politician, Trump included. He says crazy stuff to win votes, not to actually implement it. This is true of libs in general as well.

        • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          You haven’t been paying attention. Trump tried to implement this stuff last time and was stopped by people loyal to the Constitution. ALL of those people are gone. He is surrounded by people who WILL carry out his orders. Trump rarely learns, but he has absolutely learned a lesson when it comes to staffing.

          This is true of libs in general as well

          This is a ridiculous attempt to both sides. Give us an example. What compares to “we’re going to detain and deport millions of people”?

          • misk@sopuli.xyz
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            8 hours ago

            I’m not interested in political theatre, I judge based on outcomes because it’s impossible to know intent.

            In Poland libs were very up their arms about human rights abuse against migrants on the Belarusian border. Just months after they got back into power they formally suspended ability to request asylum (mandated by Geneva convention and EU basic rights charter). Similar stuff in France as well.

      • Cptn_Slow@lemmy.world
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        14 hours ago

        I’m genuinely curious, who is getting rounded up? And who’s going to let that happen?

        • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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          10 hours ago

          He’s talking about deporting millions of illegal immigrants, which will probably require putting them in a camp at least temporarily.

          • Cptn_Slow@lemmy.world
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            10 hours ago

            So the “camps” side of things definitely feels gross, but he’s “threatening” to enforce the law, that’s not wrong. Now if he’s weaponizing the system to deport his opposition or otherwise law abiding citizens, that’s a problem.

            • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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              59 minutes ago

              A lot of the people he wants to deport are people claiming asylum because the country they come from is too dangerous to be in. Letting those people stay here while they plead their case is one of our lawful treaty obligations. Rounding them up and summarily deporting them is not enforcing the law it’s abrogating the law.

            • Kalysta@lemm.ee
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              9 hours ago

              He has promised to deport pro-palestine protesters.

              Most of whom are born Americans.

              You’re not paying attention. The camps are for far more than just the undocumented.

              • Cptn_Slow@lemmy.world
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                6 hours ago

                Okay, but legally he can’t do that. No matter how much he wants to. And once again, orders are as only good as the people who are tasked with carrying them out.

                • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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                  57 minutes ago

                  It’s worth noting here that the President, as per the supreme Court, is immune from all prosecution if his actions result from the scope of his duties. It would be trivial for Trump to argue that deporting everybody he doesn’t like is within the scope of his duties, whether it’s lawful or not. That’s the unique danger we face right now: a combination of a strong man and a uniquely deferential SCOTUS. It’s never happened in American history.

                • Kalysta@lemm.ee
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                  5 hours ago

                  He’s a literal criminal who has filled the courts with his minons and the police love him.

                  Who’s going to stop him? Seriously who?

                  His term this time is going to be worse than last time because he and the republican party have removed all the ways we have to stop him from doing whatever the fuck he wants.

                  Official acts are completely legal now. He can order protesters executed and the supreme court already said that’s fine.

        • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
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          11 hours ago

          The president has supreme authority over the executive branch, which includes the military. Trump has explicitly said that he would implement mass deportations, and has called democrats “the enemy within” while in the same breath saying that the national guard could be used to put them in prison.

          As for who’s going to let it happen, that would be all of the Trump sychophants that he will be appointing. He learned last time that appointing republicans isn’t enough to let him get away with his batshit crazy ideas, they have to be cult loyalists as well.

          • Cptn_Slow@lemmy.world
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            10 hours ago

            I don’t think he should be in charge of anything, but even if he were I can’t imagine there are enough people willing to follow those orders to actually carry them out.

    • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work
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      9 hours ago

      Pretty sure they had similar things to say about Bush-Cheney 2004, but now look. The Harris campaign enthusiastically accepted Cheney’s endorsement. I think they all need to go in the contraption, but liberals have no credibility.

  • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
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    15 hours ago

    Why does it look like your voting location is just a random house? Voting here happens in school buildings or things of that scale usually with at least 20+ booths in parallel.

    Or do you just have many locations?