Voting rules are dumb

Just got back from early voting.

I was not allowed to take my kids to watch me cast my ballot. Only the voter is allowed in "the booth".

That's kind of dumb.

SVreX wrote: Just got back from early voting. I was not allowed to take my kids to watch me cast my ballot. Only the voter is allowed in "the booth". That's kind of dumb.

Did they have someone where to watch your kids for you? Is there an age below which they would be allowed in?

In reply to ProDarwin:

No. Kids had to wait unattended (though potentially in sight).

There were no little kids there, nor signs, so I don't know about minimums. They simply said, "Only the voter is allowed in "the booth"".

Huh. Just wondering. I have a 16 month old. No way is he going to simply wait unattended while I vote. No big deal, because I'll early vote during work when he is in day care. Many don't have that luxury though.

I voted last week from the comfort of my living room with a beer in hand and dropped it off in the mailbox the next morning like a good Oregonian.

Jumper K. Balls wrote: I voted last week from the comfort of my living room with a beer in hand and dropped it off in the mailbox the next morning like a good Oregonian.

I just did the same thing 20 minutes ago ... no one told my kids to leave the table.

Jumper K. Balls wrote: I voted last week from the comfort of my living room with a beer in hand and dropped it off in the mailbox the next morning like a good Oregonian.

The issue with that is if your signature has changed significantly from the one they have on file they can disqualify your vote.

Interesting. Here in Ohio they let me carry my 18 month old into the booth to place my primary vote.

Alachua County has voting stations where you walk up to a table with a bunch of coroplast 3 sided cubicle type things on it to vote. You stand in front of the table and set your manilla folder with the ballot in it down in the semi secluded area to bubble the selections. Then you walk to another part of the room to place your ballot in the counting machine. They have never complained when I have brought my kids into the room, but the lack of actual booths may be the cause. They are always happy to see them. They give them "I voted" stickers and talk up the voting process.

Don't bring your kids with to vote. Problem solved.

Appleseed wrote: Don't bring your kids with to vote. Problem solved.

I'd rather teach my kids about the voting process.

MrJoshua wrote: Alachua County has voting stations where you walk up to a table with a bunch of coroplast 3 sided cubicle type things on it to vote. You stand in front of the table and set your manilla folder with the ballot in it down in the semi secluded area to bubble the selections. Then you walk to another part of the room to place your ballot in the counting machine. They have never complained when I have brought my kids into the room, but the lack of actual booths may be the cause. They are always happy to see them. They give them "I voted" stickers and talk up the voting process.

This is exactly the way it has always been for me.

This year, they changed the rules. They must be afraid children will rig the election and fraudulently affect the outcome.

We have been able to take kids in for years now. You used to not be able to, but I like showing kids the system too.

My father always took the three of us in.

Or some lacky let the kid pick the choices. You know it would happen.

Appleseed wrote: Or some lacky let the kid pick the choices. You know it would happen.

Yes, it would happen. I'm not sure that would make matters any worse than they are!

I'm pretty sure if we only let children under the age of 5 cast ballots, we would have a much more reasoned and logical election than the one we are in the middle of.

SVreX wrote: That's kind of dumb.

As others have said, and I agree; it's not dumb. I was put out when my kid wasn't allowed anywhere near the booth, but on the same night a local politician cast his vote on live TV with a kid in tow and one on his hip. Selective enforcement?

They're not 18 years old. Isn't there a thread here by someone not allowed to vote due to previous indiscretions?

My kids have gone with me before. I think he just made that rule up.

I would challenge him to show you the rule and while he is fumbling just go in and vote. berkeley the rules.

As I said, I have always taken my kids. My son is now 30, so it's been nearly 30 years. Heck, when I was a kid I remember my Mom taking me and pulling the curtain behind us- it was such an odd ritual.

This year, they said nope.

And, 914, why would they need to be 18 to watch someone vote? Nobody has to be 18 to watch someone drink a beer.

SVreX wrote: And, 914, why would they need to be 18 to watch someone vote? Nobody has to be 18 to watch someone drink a beer.

Elections have gotten uglier than drinking. Maybe we shouldn't be exposing kids to any part of this process anymore.

I was always allowed in when my parents voted. The couple of times I worked the polls, we were always told that children were allowed to go in with their parents. No questions asked

Last time I voted my newborn was in a front backpack carrier thing on my chest.

There are rules, but think of how difficult it is to get everyone (all or many volunteers even) to understand the rules similarly, and then enforce them similarly. Heck, give a five minute presentation to a group of folks you work with and see if everyone remembers the same thing the next day.

but children are always trying to "rig" the election!

joey48442 wrote: but children are always trying to "rig" the election!

They're all sleeper agents planted by the Russians

I remember going into the booth with my mom and sister growing up. Don't see what the harm could possibly be.

Maybe they're trying to lessen the possibility of someone flying off the handle and claiming voter fraud because district "X" allowed more than one person in the booth at one time. Never mind it's a child, sensationalizing things is what they'd do.