Althouse: We did the "in-person absentee" voting today at the library.

October 29, 2024

We did the "in-person absentee" voting today at the library.

I texted from the line to someone who's been reading that 1120-page "Truman" book:

72 comments:

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Your so coy.; 10/29/24, 1:31 PM
rehajm said...: The world is no longer an audible at the line of scrimmage kind of world is it?; 10/29/24, 1:32 PM
Tank said...: Will there be a follow up after your decision? Prediction: Neither T nor H, but would not be shocked if it's T. H would be a shock.; 10/29/24, 1:50 PM
Christopher B said...: Our in-person no-excuse absentee starts tomorrow in KY, and I'll go cancel my wife's votes then before working the election next Tuesday.; 10/29/24, 1:52 PM
Christopher B said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/29/24, 1:52 PM
Breezy said...: We early voted this am as well. First time early voter. No line, very well run. NC requires ID. I have to say I appreciate this option now, particularly since it avoids falling into some cataclysmic event happening on Election Day which throws our votes into limbo. (See Maricopa, 2020.). Also happy to report that my better half finally threw in the towel on Harris — tired of her endless evasions, couldn’t vote for a vacuum. So, plus 2 for the amazingly strong orange man and his brilliant sidekick.; 10/29/24, 1:53 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Why vote early? I'll wait till election day; 10/29/24, 1:54 PM
tastid212 said...: Is Cornel West on the ballot in WI?; 10/29/24, 1:56 PM
Oh Yea said...: Just got back from Ohio's "Early Voting". I voted for 4 years of gridlock.; 10/29/24, 1:57 PM
planetgeo said...: That's it! An audible. Althouse can just yell "Omaha!" as she leaves the polling place, and we (and only we) will know she's voting like Begley.; 10/29/24, 1:59 PM
loudogblog said...: "Who are you voting for?"

"Look, a squirrel!"; 10/29/24, 2:01 PM
FWBuff said...: TRUMan and TRUMp. Is it a clue?; 10/29/24, 2:03 PM
Tank said...: Voted last week in NC. Well run, voter ID. Canceled out my GF's vote. We always joke about not bothering because we cancel each other out; then we both vote anyway.; 10/29/24, 2:03 PM
MadisonMan said...: I also resist voting for ciphers. The Devil You Know, and all that.; 10/29/24, 2:05 PM
Original Mike said...: Trust, but verify.; 10/29/24, 2:24 PM
rastajenk said...: Excellent response, planetgeo; 10/29/24, 2:36 PM
rastajenk said...: I finished Truman last winter. It took several loan periods from the digital library over about 6 months.; 10/29/24, 2:39 PM
rehajm said...: Heh. 'Herewegoooooo...!!!'; 10/29/24, 2:47 PM
Clyde said...: How can anyone show up at the polling place and still be undecided? When I voted, I had filled out my sample ballot in advance and brought it with me. I didn't need to agonize over any decisions because I had already made them before leaving home. An undecided voter is someone who really isn't ready to vote yet.; 10/29/24, 3:02 PM
Clyde said...: Also, shouldn't those biographies actually be arranged in some kind of order? They don't seem to be alphabetized by either the subject or the author. I've read Savage Beauty about Edna St. Vincent Millay, but none of the others.; 10/29/24, 3:08 PM
tim maguire said...: I also see the John Bolton book. Probably never been checked out.; 10/29/24, 3:08 PM
tcrosse said...: I turned in my ballot on the first day here in Nevada. I needn't have hurried, since the court extended the deadline beyond election day, throwing all efforts at election integrity into a cocked hat.; 10/29/24, 3:15 PM
Dixcus said...: Undecided while in line to vote. This is why need to repeal the 19th Amendment.; 10/29/24, 3:16 PM
bleh said...: If you were legitimately undecided as of today, you should probably have waited to vote until next Tuesday. To give yourself the maximum amount of time to digest all the information, to wait for any new developments and October Surprises, etc. Why vote today if you might change your mind tomorrow, or next Monday?; 10/29/24, 3:17 PM
Dixcus said...: My flabber has truly been gasted by the fact that she is in line and undecided.; 10/29/24, 3:17 PM
Saint Croix said...: I don't even know who the Libertarian pothead is this year.; 10/29/24, 3:18 PM
Dixcus said...: This is precisely why "early voting" shouldn't be legal.; 10/29/24, 3:18 PM
Balfegor said...: My mental model of undecided voters was that if neither candidate was persuasive, they just wouldn't bother to vote (e.g. me in 2016), but I suppose there's people who just line up and decide on the spot. Or leave the line for President blank.; 10/29/24, 3:25 PM
Kate said...: I was undecided on one candidate (not the POTUS) until I was filling out the oval. It's not a good feeling.; 10/29/24, 3:26 PM
The Vault Dweller said...: @Althouse Is it frequent that you don't make your voting decision until the actual moment of voting?; 10/29/24, 3:28 PM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: If you are an R in a battleground state then voting early frees up resources that would be spent chasing your ballot on the day or shortly after. All my AZ friends voted early to save Turning Point Action the trouble of those GOTV efforts.; 10/29/24, 3:35 PM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Stein was good enough as the not-Trump option in 2016, right? Isn't she still on the ballot in WI?; 10/29/24, 3:36 PM
dbp said...: I I was still undecided, I would have waited until election day.; 10/29/24, 3:37 PM
Krumhorn said...: It's simply inconceivable that she votes for Harris. No matter what reservations she may have about OrangeHitler, her stated problems with Harris should be an impermeable barrier to oozing out ink to fill that circle. But that's just me not wanting to be disappointed that I fell for her red herrings.

- Krumhorn; 10/29/24, 3:42 PM
Oso Negro said...: Pretty hard to detect a difference between the candidates this year. Such similar visions for the future of the country. Really tough to choose. Well, la di da!; 10/29/24, 3:45 PM
Butkus51 said...: Monica Lewinsky is hoping to be the next Dem nominee.; 10/29/24, 4:05 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Tru an which sounds like Tru Ann. Which I put in the blog search and it gave me
This 👉🏽 LINK 👉🏽 “Champion of the beleaguer incumbent”

It depends on who does Althouse believe is the incumbent.; 10/29/24, 4:16 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: You know what else the blog search “True Ann” returns?

Some of the lengthiest posts on this blog.; 10/29/24, 4:24 PM
Christopher B said...: The tabulators here will kick back a blank ballot but it can be overridden. We had somebody do that in the precinct I worked a couple years ago.; 10/29/24, 4:27 PM
Gerda Sprinchorn said...: The fact that there is so much uncertainty here about the way The Professor will vote is objective verification of the "cruel neutrality" claim.; 10/29/24, 4:27 PM
Gerda Sprinchorn said...: Was it worth it?; 10/29/24, 4:30 PM
David53 said...: In Texas you can’t have a cell phone out within 100 feet of a voting station. It’s the law.; 10/29/24, 4:32 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Trump says Kamala is the incumbent and Kamala asks her rally crowds “Are you ready for change?”; 10/29/24, 4:33 PM
TickTock said...: Our hostess is ever coy. She is providing entertainment and an outlet for the emotions of a specialized commentariat. She is not trying to educate us to vote a certain way. To do so would be to lose a significant part of her readership; many of those that vote the opposite of whatever way she might announce would leave; and those who come here to berate the other side would find other outlets to vent their horror and frustration.

While i have a guess as to how she voted, I would not want to wager on which way she went. She is a woman of many opinions, and she keeps it deliberately unclear which are decisive to her.; 10/29/24, 5:03 PM
William50 said...: My wife and I did that last Friday around 11:00 am at the Village Hall. No line.; 10/29/24, 5:12 PM
Democratic Paychecks for Perks/ Dems for Demolition of Democracy/ fake-cares 4-U said...: and now a word from Maye Musk:

"Maye Musk
@mayemusk
When I became an American citizen, I registered as a Democrat as I thought it was the kind, caring party. Now it’s the party of dishonesty, corruption and malice. I have resigned, and am looking forward to voting Republican. I love America. Vote! ❤️🇺🇸; 10/29/24, 5:26 PM
Whiskeybum said...: 1) it’s possible to show up on Election Day only to find that “you” already voted if you are not in a mandatory ID state/county, and 2) Election Day may roll around only to find you sick in bed or otherwise indisposed/not able to attend due to extenuating circumstances.; 10/29/24, 5:27 PM
Whiskeybum said...: Yes. Everyone under the sun is on the ballot for President in WI. Seriously, Cornel makes it 8 on the Presidential ballot in WI.; 10/29/24, 5:32 PM
Whiskeybum said...: Mr. & Mrs. Smith; 10/29/24, 5:33 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: And then there was 2022, in Maricopa County, AZ, where those in Republican precincts found that their ballots wouldn’t scan. Why not? Turns out a day or two before Election Day, the voting machines were tweaked (illegally, of course, since it was after they had been certified) to print the ballots at one size, and read them in at another. The result was thousands of disenfranchised voters who couldn’t stand around hours to get their ballots scanned in. And, they shut these polling locations down promptly, with long lines still outside waiting to vote. Of course, the Secretary of State didn’t question this, since she was rewarded by the governorship. And may have helped facilitate the disenfranchisement, since it pu the top three elective offices in Dem hands. That, alone, very likely put all three over the top.; 10/29/24, 5:58 PM
wild chicken said...: Stein for not-Trump/helps-Trump ftw. If you can't even but still kinda like him.; 10/29/24, 6:14 PM
Narayanan said...: definitely define : womanly? fickly ?-; 10/29/24, 6:21 PM
Narayanan said...: ballot =
multiple choice Q's we already know like Harris knows her interview items.
when Harris can be undecided after knowing Q's why not professora?; 10/29/24, 6:29 PM
Lanny said...: Such a buildup for the traditional lib to vote for Kamala and all the anti-liberal policies that follow. Of all Trump's attributes as compared to Hillary, Biden, Kamala and the Obama re-treads running the country, Trump owes the establishment nothing. Vote Kamala and submit to big pharma, big sugar, Raytheon, Epstein clients, etc.; 10/29/24, 6:34 PM
rastajenk said...: Yes, very much so; 10/29/24, 6:44 PM
John henry said...: We have state elections Tuesday. Gov, legend, municipal.

Up to this year we had very limited absentee voting. S few thound. No early voting. Voter id card, paper ballot, finger in and NEVER any questions of cheat. It was physically impossible. Polls open 10-2,results by 8 pm

This year we have widespread absentee ballots

And lots of shenanigans already. Esp dead people voting.

Glad I'll be in Chicago next week (packexpo. Anyone going?) so I have an excuse for not participating in this charade.

I expect I will deregister if things turn out as I expect.

John Henry; 10/29/24, 7:10 PM
John henry said...: Granddaughter turned 20 and is excited about voting for the 2nd time.

First time she was about 6. I took her in the booth and told her to make some xs.

John Henry; 10/29/24, 7:17 PM
Leland said...: I disagree. I often listen to Audible when in long lines. Oh wait...; 10/29/24, 7:27 PM
Narr said...: I voted early because I start county jury duty in 4 November, for one thing.; 10/29/24, 7:41 PM
gpm said...: I always wait for election day. Will be a little tougher this year because of health issues that make walking a bit tough, but the weather forecast looks OK. Unfortunately, the bar on the same block as the polling place just shut down suddenly after 30+ years, so there's a choice I'll need to struggle with.

Althouse's "It's a long line" cracked me up.

--gpm; 10/29/24, 7:51 PM
gpm said...: In Boston, of course, most of the candidates below the top couple of races are running unopposed (and it's usually futile choosing anyone in those couple of races). I always throw in a vote for the lesbian from JP or whoever who's running for whatever and has no chance of going anywhere.

--gpm; 10/29/24, 8:08 PM
jpg said...: Please. You were always going to vote for Harris and did so. You would have voted for Biden.; 10/29/24, 8:11 PM
Democratic Paychecks for Perks/ Dems for Demolition of Democracy/ fake-cares 4-U said...: While we are all curious to know who Ann voted for - she has a right to keep it to herself, imo - respect privacy.

Breaking: Biden sez what?

“Donald Trump has no character. He doesn't give a damn about the Latino community…just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage?… The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”; 10/29/24, 8:33 PM
Jerry said...: Well, that's sure an olive branch of reconciliation, isn't it?; 10/29/24, 8:53 PM
Jerry said...: Voted today. New system - screener verified my ID and address, had me sign the screen, then I was sent to the voting machine. Took about a minute there, then the machine printed out a ballot. I checked it for accuracy and then fed it into a scanner (Or maybe a shredder, dunno...) on top of a locked bin. In and out in under five minutes.

Screener said 40% of the county had already voted.

So we'll see what happens...; 10/29/24, 8:57 PM
Drago said...: adSs: "I've always hated the idea that elected officials can do anything that lets them choose their voters, rather than the voters choose them."

LOL

Stalin: I've always hated the idea that KGB officials can do anything that lets them choose their enemies of the state and prisoners, rather than let a legitimate criminal justice system act appropriately.; 10/29/24, 9:23 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Nice getting the letter case correct with adSs. That was one of my favorite names here.; 10/29/24, 9:40 PM
Mr. Majestyk said...: Repealing the 19th Amendment would only allow states to disenfranchise women. It would not bar women from voting. The state legislature would have to pass a law.

Hmm, I wonder if women would vote for that? /sarc; 10/29/24, 9:42 PM
Mr. Majestyk said...: Repealing the 19th Amendment would only allow states to disenfranchise women. It would not bar women from voting. The state legislature would have to pass a law.

Hmm, I wonder if women would vote for that? /sarc; 10/29/24, 9:42 PM
traditionalguy said...: That McCullough book is magnificent. Especially the parts about Israel’s statehood and Captain Harry’s amazing 1948 Presidential win. His only Presidential win, the first one except for 6 weeks being FDR’s fourth term.

I listen over and over on Audible . McCullough narrates it in his special voice. And I love Truman’s Scots Irish fighting persona much like a certain VP candidate now running that might also get a sudden Presidency if one of the thousands of Kill Trump teams shoot straight.

And believe me the 1945 to 1948 Global conditions were really a terrible conundrum that Harry worked his ass off solving.; 10/29/24, 10:09 PM
Dr.Bunkypotatohead said...: I lived in a blue state for many years, where there was no point in voting.
Now I live in a red state, where there is no need to.; 10/29/24, 10:24 PM
Mason G said...: "Now I live in a red state, where there is no need to."

You have to be careful with that. When Democrats know they won't get elected, they will run as Republicans.; 10/29/24, 11:01 PM