Go out and vote, new US citizens!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

This is just a quick reminder to all you new US Citizens to go out and vote!

You've earned that right as a new US citizen! So why not use it?.....

Today is primary election day (here in New York State, though probably in other states too)!

Be heard as a new US citizen! Speak up! Let the government know how you think!

Go out and vote! (and yes, share your experiences here on VJ too)....

Ant

P.S. I'm going in a few minutes to vote...This is going to be exciting!...

As this is my first election as a US citzen!

I've registered to vote..And now I'm all set...

I'll post a review about it here on VJ afterwards...

Until then..Happy Voting everyone!

Ant

[Lansbury 19]

Some of us will even have our names on the ballot paper as we run for office.

[NickD 203]

Already seen a sample ballot, about 90% of the contenders are running without opposition, but can do a write-in in our state. That means I will have to write-in my own name many times and hope for the best.

Those running with opposition are either republican or democrats, who do you vote for if you don't like neither? Ironic in the senate race that all the senators vote they same way their party goes. Would think at least one or two would represent their constituents and vote against their party. But I feel if they do that, they won't be running for the next term.

Wife requested that I go in the voting booth with her, our major concerns where referendums that directly affect our property taxes. Each was written with either triple or quadrupole negatives so you didn't know if you were voting for or against a given referendum. Even if a natural born citizen, could figure it out, but not without getting a migraine first. She did receive permission for me to go in with her so I could explain it to her, in that way, only I got a migraine headache.

But remember, voting is your most important right as a US citizen. And a naturalized citizen is the same as a natural born one. Well maybe with some exceptions, can't run for president and need to have two passports, but they don't tell you that.

[Ted46 2]

I registered to get my ballots by mail, then I vote, and then I mail my ballots back. As a matter of fact, it's kind of an unwritten rule in my house that every family member registers for mail-in ballots. Everybody is free to vote or not vote, and everybody gets to vote in private, but not registering to vote and then "missing" a vote due to laziness is just not acceptable.

[NickD 203]

Was told in the primary election had to select one of five parties and could only vote for the candidates under that party or my ballot would be nulled and void. Democratic, republican, green, libertarian, or socialist, not a single candidate was listed for the last three.

One five were running for governor, two democrats and three republicans with the same number running for lieutenant governor. Couldn't say pick a democrat governor and a republican lieutenant governor. Just one senator running unopposed for either the democratic or republican seat, but again if you wanted a republican governor, were not allowed to select the democratic senator. But wouldn't make any difference anyway as both were running unopposed. Difficult to chose which candidate to pick for governor, the only real choice, all five promised to lower taxes, but been hearing that for years.

Didn't bother writing in my own name, done that before and with the election results, should have said one vote for NickD, but never saw that, they probably just laughed at that.

The people at the polling place could take all the time to explain this to my wife and me, we were the only voters there. Voting has become a bad joke in this country.

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Ok..In a nutshell, this is how my experience on primary election day (Sept 14) went...

Ant's First US Primary Election...

After driving around town for awhile, we managed to find our voting place, as we were surprised that be it that we were in a small town, that they had many places to vote in. Since we were early, we were the only ones in line, and were the first to test out the new voting machines. The new voting machines were not the 'pull down the lever' style ones that they had before, but rather, new 'fill in the circle sheet', kind of like the ones that they use for multiple-choice tests in school.

So I decided to go first....

I gave them my name and my voter's registration card, and then they asked what party I was registered in for the primary. So I told them that, and then they gave me a ballot sheet, inside a folder, and explained how I was supposed to use the black marker in the booth to fill in the person who I wanted to vote for. So with the ballot in hand, I headed to the booth (a cardboard divider on a table), and looked at who I had to vote for...

'Attorney General'...was on the one side of the sheet, along with a list of names..

and 'Senator'....was on the other side of the sheet, along with a list of names...

Well, I had researched my choices ahead of time, and knew who I wanted to vote for, so I quickly coloured in my ballot with the black marker, put it back in the folder, and went to the next worker standing next to a machine..

The next worker, took my folder, and put it in the machine..

And the machine 'ate' up my ballot, to be 'counted'...

And that was it...

"I voted!" :dance:

And I also got an "I voted" sticker too as a 'keepsake'...

After I was done voting, my husband (also a first time voter) voted too...and got his sticker..

As well, my baby son got a sticker too, which I thought was kind of funny..

And the workers there had a good time with him too, as they kept an eye on him for a few minutes, while we voted, so yes, the workers there were very child-friendly too...which made it even more fun...

"Oh in another 17 years, he can vote for real", I joked around...

Two first time voters, and a voter-to-be.....

So it a first election for our entire family!!!

And yes, it was quite the positive experience for everyone in our family....

In and out in 15 minutes...But fun, nevertheless!

Ant + D + Baby A...."I Voted!"...We can all say!!!

Hope you enjoyed reading about my experience...

Now to all you US Citizens out there...I encourage you all to ....GO OUT THERE AND VOTE!!!!

Ant

[NickD 203]

See where New York is just as bad as Wisconsin, where you had to identify your party to get a special ballot, all of our parties were on one ballot, but was instructed if I cross voted, my entire ballot would be null and void.

I took exception to this as this primary covered, local, country, state, and federal elections. And I let my feelings to be known and didn't leave very happy. Why do they limit us like this?

[Lugn 0]

If I take my oath on Wednesday next week, is there any possible way for me to vote prior to the following Tuesday?

Cheers.

[NickD 203]

If I take my oath on Wednesday next week, is there any possible way for me to vote prior to the following Tuesday?

Cheers.

Voters registration shocked me in the State of Wisconsin, they didn't even want to see my wife's naturalization certificate, just said to check that US citizen box. It only took a couple of minutes to register. But again, this is state dependent, would think in particular for a federal election, all states would be the same.

What really bugs me is with the electoral system, some states have winner take all, Wisconsin splits the electoral vote by popular vote, so the candidates stay far away from us, but hit those high electoral states where winner takes all, even if a candidate wins only by one popular vote. This is why our last president became president even while losing the population vote. Crooked in my opinion, but that is the way our leaders like it.

Want to waste another letter? Address this issue to your congressman.

[antda 13]

See where New York is just as bad as Wisconsin, where you had to identify your party to get a special ballot, all of our parties were on one ballot, but was instructed if I cross voted, my entire ballot would be null and void.

I took exception to this as this primary covered, local, country, state, and federal elections. And I let my feelings to be known and didn't leave very happy. Why do they limit us like this?

NickD-Interesting how they do things in Wisconsin.....Thanks for sharing about that....

Lol...Here in NYS we have to idenfity the party too...But the major difference is that for the primaries each party has a separate ballot sheet..For example, if you are a registered democrat, you are given a democrat ballot, and if you are a registered republician, you are given a republician ballot...And so forth..

Makes things easier than the null and void system..Sounds confusing what they ahve there in Wisconsin...lol..

Lol...The only problem the voters had here in NYS was with the new 'color the circle' system...Apparently people around here had problems doing that...Oh well....

As for identifying parties..I agree....We shouldn't have to do that..

Sure takes the 'secret' out of 'secret ballot'...

Lol..On the bright side, at least you can vote for the party leader here in the USA...Which is more of a democratic way of doing things....In Canada the party leader is appointed...now that's scary....

Good luck and happy voting in November too!

Ant

If I take my oath on Wednesday next week, is there any possible way for me to vote prior to the following Tuesday?

Cheers.

Lugn-Congrats on taking your oath next Wednesday and becoming a new US Citizen!

As for voter's regigistration...You have to be a US Citizen in order to do so....

So if you have your oath on Wednesday...You can vote anytime after that..

You just have to apply for voter's registration....

And depending on your state, it could take 1-4 weeks to get your voter's registration card....

Nevertheless, if you want to vote, apply for voter's registration as soon as possible..

That way you can be included in the next election...Be registered! Go out and vote!

Ant