First-Time North Carolina Voters Confused By Straight-Ticket Ballots
In North Carolina, where voters can register and cast their ballots on the same day during early voting, Obama volunteers have been bringing first-time voters to the polls all week. For some, the experience is as nervous-making as it is thrilling.
Hope, 18, her ex-boyfriend Amel, and his cousin Malcom live in a low-income, predominantly African-American neighborhood in Durham. They are exactly the kinds of voters the Obama campaign needs if it is to win in North Carolina--young, historically unengaged citizens who fly under the radar of polls but have been inspired by the campaign. If an Obama volunteer hadn't visited this neighborhood and visited week after week, knocking on doors and offering rides to the polls, it is unlikely these three would be voting at all.
Yet, on a Friday afternoon, with only a day left to vote early, Hope was waiting for us on her balcony. "Is that you, Miss?" she hollered.
The day before she'd said she didn't know how to vote; now she was not only ready, but had brought two friends in tow. "I just know I'm going to make a mistake," she said, but climbed into the backseat anyway.
It was a beautiful day, and the line at the polls snaked well out the door. A man with an Obama sticker intersected our group to show them the ballot. The ballot has been causing confusion in North Carolina--one must vote for president separately from straight-party, and Diane Tucker has reported tens of thousands of voters simply filling in the circle for "Democrat" or "Republican" but neglecting to mark the circle next to McCain or Obama.
The Obama volunteer pointed several times to the presidential selection and then to the straight-party selection. "If you want to vote Democrat, you have to do both," he said. "You understand? You understand?"
Hope's group looked stony; one of them wandered away.
Hope asked about the other side of the ballot, so the volunteer flipped it over and said, "These are non-partisan candidates. Do you know what 'partisan' means?"
Gently, the man who'd brought Hope's group guided them into line. Marcus wasn't talking, and Amel was nervous. "I ain't never voted before," he kept saying.
To pass the time, Hope pulled out her birth certificate and fingered the edges. She didn't know what kinds of ID she would have to bring--she had recently moved, and her driver's license had the previous address. She, Amel, and Malcom had all brought some mail, and together they had compiled an assorted set of cards with their names on them.
As we approached the front of the line, the entire group turned quiet. A poll worker in an apron held up a slip of paper that said, in four compound-complex sentences, that one must vote separately for the president.
"Do you need this?" she said, looking Amel in the eye. Amel looked back, with a wild, what-am-I-supposed-to-say-now? look.
The poll worker prompted him, "Are you voting straight ticket?"
"I ain't never voted before," Amel blurted.
Although I was past the line for electioneering, I jumped in and said that the poll worker was repeating what the Obama volunteer had said: one circle for president, and a separate circle if he wanted to vote straight Democrat.
"Awright," said Amel. "'Cause I'm definitely voting for Obama." Behind him, a few people in line chuckled, which cheered him up.
Hope's group disappeared inside, and while the volunteers waited, the head of the Durham Election Board strolled up and down the line in a head-to-toe Uncle Sam outfit. "Democracy is happening!" he sang. "Democracy is happening!"
In fifteen minutes, out came Amel and Malcom, both with their chests puffed out and their eyes bright. Hope, it turned out, had indeed made a mistake: she'd voted for Obama, then straight-ticket Democrat, then had meticulously filled in the bubbles for every other Democratic candidate. A poll worker assured here it would've been fine, but Hope asked for a fresh ballot because she wanted it to be perfect. When she emerged a full forty-five minutes later, she was sashaying.
"I was so nervous, but I did it," she said. She reminded me again of her birth certificate. "Today I voted for Obama," she said. "And tomorrow's my birthday!"
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This is a great but sad story as to our education system, I am sadden everyday about what our children and grandchildren are NOT learning about. This also falls to the parents to be involved, our vote is our voice and we should never be ashamed to give or ask for help.
While I think it is stupid to seperate the Presidential and VP races from straight-ticket voting (why make something unnecessarily complicated?), it's also not THAT hard to get straight. I voted early in Charlotte and the polling station I used had the warning prominently posted in many locations that voters would need to cast a seperate ballot for Pres and VP if they were going to vote straight-ticket. Also, all voters had to pass by a lady at a table who pointed this out to EVERYONE and asked if they understood and had questions. Hopefully North Carolina will change this practice after this election.
Oh I just wonna cry. Thats so sweet. O.K read it careful, take your time, don't rush and vote correctly.
It is time America changed. This election have been the moving period of emotions the American people have ever experienced and probably will ever experience. This election has reached so many uninformed and uninterested people and it's all good. It is a sweet and yet bitter awakening. Obama brings hope and fear to the masses of the people. Obama supporters vote for him because they want "Hope" to be part of a movement which will be inclusive of all people; rich, poor, black, white, gay straight, democrat or republican. The fear that resides in the back of many peoples mind and turns into a physical ailment like (butterflies in the stomach and heart) that some Americans will cause harm to him. What makes Obama such a remarkable man is that he still wants to tackle the job ahead knowing his life is at stake as well as the country. Thank you Obama family for taking that chance for change knowing what the cost could be.
It is time America changed. This election have been the moving period of emotions the American people have ever experienced and probably will ever experience. This election has reached so many uninformed and uninterested people and it's all good. It is a sweet and yet bitter awakening. Obama brings hope and fear to the masses of the people. Obama supporters vote for him because they want "Hope" to be part of a movement which will be inclusive of all people; rich, poor, black, white, gay straight, democrat or republican. The fear that resides in the back of many peoples mind and turns into a physical ailment like (butterflies in the stomach and heart) that some Americans will cause harm to him. What makes Obama such a remarkable man is that he still wants to tackle the job ahead knowing his life is at stake as well as the country. Thank you Obama family for taking that chance for change knowing what the cost could be.
Thats an AWESOME article!
Now for Attention: GOP links to Voting machine direct vote changing possibilities.
http://www
That article is very disturbing.
Every four years we seem to repeat this same conversation! Don't you all think it's time that our voting process is standardized across the country? There should be a standard ballot, marked with pen or #2 pencil, placed into a locked box and counted by hand with plenty of witnesses. While this seems so simplistic, we have gotten ourselves into a technological nightmare.
America, it's time for a CHANGE!
OBAMA/BIDEN '08
A few words from the Gettysburg Address:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and:
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
OBAMA- BIDEN
Whatever, you do stay until you cast your vote – and please make sure to double check it.
Great article Kelly! Wow - I think Hope, Amel and Malcolm are the true "Joe Plumbers" of the campaign.
This is an emotional time for all of us, particularly the first time voters. Thank you all for going out and exercising your right to choose a candidate who we believe will bring the change we so desperately need. We remain optimistic, so thanks to all the foot soldiers for the great work you are doing. We are getting closer to a victory. Two more days!
If you are a registered voter, don't let anyone or anything stop you from voting or stop your vote from counting! Call the hotline number 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) for advice before you go to vote or for help if you have problems at your election location. When you go to vote, take good ID, your cell phone, note paper & pencil and the hotline phone number. For more information on protecting your vote, check out this story: http://www
It may be better not to vote straight ticket; just choose each candidate individually. However, whether or not you choose to vote “straight ticket”, plan ahead to check your ballot very carefully before you finish voting to be sure that you actually have selected the right candidates.
If you need to ask for help from election officials, be polite but persistent.
If you call the hotline number for help, give complete information and be patient.
What a great story!! So sweet. COME ONE AMERICA WE CAN'T DISAPPOINT "HOPE." YES WE CAN!!!
I canvassed yesterday.
Does any "Democracy" in the world have a worst voting system and lower voter education that the US? It is pathetic that ballots are so complicated that people don't know what to do.
It's because the rich want it all. When voting for President because of the importance of it, there should be one uniform ballot across the nation. All other votes can be handled by state to state, just my opinion.
Yes, I think it is ashame that people are discouraged to vote by the voting system that should be easy for a democratic country like ours.
I can't believe after what happend in 2000 and 2004... the voting process is still barbaric???? Why hasn't this been worked on and worked out these past years? And we go to Iraq - wanting to show them how to have a democratic vote???? What a joke we are.
WOW< that's great. It's good to see people who are traditionally unengaged in politics vote for the first time. They did great. They'll soon enough get the hang of it! Great job!
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