Don’t forget to vote. Also, if you see anything interesting or noteworthy at the polls and are so inclined, please feel free to share it here.
Update: I forgot to add the reminder to bring your state or federally issued photo identification which is required before you can exercise your right to vote. Even if you can prove who you are by other means, it doesn’t count. State or federally issued photo identification only.
Update 2: “Voting machines were not working in at least half of Marion County’s precincts after polls opened this morning because election workers forgot how to start the machines.” (Advance Indiana citing the Indianapolis Star.)
Update 3: An anonymous commenter at Taking Down Words (so take it for what it’s worth) observed two people on the south side of Indianapolis turned away from the polls because their photo ID did not have an address that matched the address on the voter roll. The ID is solely for the purpose of proving identity, not residency. So, if true, there are a couple of examples of unlawful voter disenfranchisement.
I was at the Commons on Saturday (Columbus Mall) and poll training was going on. I overheard them saying that if someone does not have a state photo ID, the BMV will issue state IDs for free today only.
So, if someone has other forms of ID, they can go to the BMV and get their ID then return to vote. I thought it was a good compromise.
Yeah, as I recall, the Democrats were able to extract two compromises:
1) BMV branches open on election day; and
2) State IDs for free — not sure if it’s free always or just on election day or if some proof of income is necessary.
It’s only a good compromise if the BMV performs its task quickly and efficiently; not exactly qualities for which the Bureau is known.
My trip to the polls was very pleasant. I voted at a church up the street from my house. I was a little disturbed by how empty it was. I was the only voter in there for a period of time, after which two or three other voters showed up.
And, of course, it was a Diebold machine, so it’s possible I was afforded only the illusion of voting.
I cast votes for Republicans, Democrats, and Libertarians. I won’t go into detail about the rest of them, but I was happy to cast a vote for Libertarian Mike Kole for Secretary of State. Much as I follow politics, I didn’t even recognize either of his challengers’ names. I know it’s a long shot simply because of the institutional challenges faced by Libertarian candidates, but I would be extremely tickled if Mr. Kole pulled this off. And it’s not just because it appeals to my sense of mischief. I think it’s an exceedingly good idea to have a non-major party candidate oversee the State’s election functions.
I voted at a church up the street from my house
Way to go, there went their IRS tax-free status! ;)
Actually being a polling place HAS NOTHING to do with tax-free status.
Mike Sylvester
Fort Wayne Libertarian
Yup. I just think it’s nice of the churches (and owners of other places that serve as polling places) to be civic-minded enough to allow the use of their property by the government.
I noticed when doing the White County Democrats website that a couple of polling places are just people’s homes. That cracks me up for some reason.
I read someone asserting that the reason that liquor sales were originally prohibited on election day was because so many of the polling places used to be at taverns. No idea if that’s true.
Just a joke, Mike. I know that does not affect them.
However, I have yet to understand how churches can get their status revoked for speaking out against candidates that are in opposistion to the views of the church, however unions are free to give money to parties and endorse candidates.
If I am assuming in error that unions are tax-free, please correct me.
There are different types of tax-exempt status. Churches are usually under 501(c)(3)of the federal tax code. 501(c)(3) organizations cannot be involved in political campaigns in terms of endorsing candidates for office. They are allowed to advocate for their cause in the political arena, such as someone from the American Heart Association testifying before Congress about the importance of some new heart disease treatment, for instance.
I am not a tax attorney, however, so please take what I’m saying with a grain of salt. (Where is a tax attorney when we need one? Doug, can you help, even if tax law is not your specialty? :))
There are other categories of for tax-exempt organizations. I may not have this right, but I believe that 501(c)(4)’s are allowed to do more vis-a-vis political campaigns. I’m not sure what tax-exempt category, if any, unions would generally fall into. Sorry if I’ve muddied the waters.