Political Insider

By I'm Your Huckleberry

October 31, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

If John doesn’t get what he wants he’ll be crying that [Democrats] George Wallace and Bull Connor are after him again.

“Lawdy, lawdy, theys afta me again. Hep me, hep me—somebody hep me.”

Yawn.

By Sha Nay Nay Jenkins

October 31, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

It is racist to stop democrats from illegally voting. John Lewis needs to bring up the Klan and all other McCain supporters. It is time to paint the White House black!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Hey John

October 31, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

I just looked at the SoS website and did a little math.

Looks like 31.6% of registered voters have already voted Looks like 37.7% of black registered voters have already voted Looks like 30% of white registered voters have already voted

Seems to me that lots of people are voting.

By Juliana

October 31, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this

Oh yes, no reason we wouldn’t want to allow voters to have as much opportunity to exercise their consitutional right to vote.

It’s amazaing to me that for once this state will finally participate at the level it should have and not rank 47th in voting participation. For this “some” are screaming this is somehow wrong… no what’s wrong is that for 130+ years this state has practiced various forms of voter suppression and gotten away with it. Now that 80% of the voters actually want to vote we call them names and slurs, really folks you really ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

I think it’s incredibly brave and amazing that people will wait hours to vote in this state. There isn’t a good excuse in the world to make this more difficult or limiting. Good grief we extend shopping hours at Christmas, why the hell wouldn’t we do it for democracy?

John Lewis is a voting rights champion and someone who can speak with authority and experience on this issue. Calling him anything less than a hero for working tirelessly for the voting and rights of all citizens is shameful and wrong.

By Voters Rights

October 31, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

I posted this in another thread, but feel like it is worth repeating here.

I’m confused, for the first time in history we have early voting available for 45 days. People wait to the last week, then complain about the lines. I voted three weeks ago and it took me 20 minutes.

According to the AJC almost 27% of eligible voter have already voted, and both parties are upset. Get a grip people.

4 years ago, there was one week of advanced voting, there were lines then.

By JerryT

October 31, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

Not sure of the logic there Hey John: A lot of people are voting, so… what, that’s enough? Don’t want anymore? The long wait lines are a lie? It’s not really happening?

???

By North Georgia Democrat

October 31, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this

High turn out always favors Democrats.

If Obama wins Georgia (it does not seem to likely though) the Handel will probably lose her seat in a primary in 2010.

Karen Handel is a cancer upon this fair state.

By Hey John

October 31, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

The point is that lines are not impacting turnout. In 2004 the total turnout over 6 days was 77%

We already have almost 32% turnout not including today and Tuesday. It would appear that the system is working, not perfectly, but it is working.

By Hey John

October 31, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

The point is that lines are not impacting turnout. In 2004 the total turnout over 6 days was 77%

We already have almost 32% turnout not including today and Tuesday. It would appear that the system is working, not perfectly, but it is working.

By gafarmer

October 31, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this

As a long time poll worker, early voting has increased the cost to hold elections at the local level and allowed the same people a lot more hours to vote.

Lines are shorter on election day but not much.

By JerryT

October 31, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

I think that is a false conclusion Hey John. Just because more people are voting doesn’t mean that everyone is voting.

By Alec Martin

October 31, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

There was plenty of tome to vote early in Georgia. I don’t agree with early voting because of this ACORN business. NO- don’t extend the voting through the weekend. If there are voters who were too lazy to get out and vote- then stand in line Tuesday, Election Day- with all the rest of us McCain-Palin supporters!

MCCAIN-PALIN 2008!

By Phungrrl

October 31, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this

Thank you, John Lewis, for trying to allow registered voters to cast their ballots in this historic election.

I called Secretary Handel’s office, and was told this is “a county issue.” I couldn’t even get the person who answered the phone to take my name & number and my concern.

So I called the governor’s office, and got transferred back to Secretary Handel’s office. Same routine.

Very frustrating!

By rukidding

October 31, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this

So the republican legislature passes a law that increases in person voting by 8 fold, providing 45 days to vote early in person, Handle a republican put the processes in place to enforce the law.

Then 41 days into the in person voting process the Dem’s cry foul.

By Tank

October 31, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this

Why the push by predominantly black, democratic counties for extended voting on Saturday and Monday? Why didn’t your citizens plan ahead? Why? It’s the same old, tired victimization whining. You had ample opportunity to vote for the last 45 days. Enough already!

By dj

October 31, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this

These “arguments” against allowing voting through the weekend would be far more convincing if they were not so racist.

Debate the real issue, not the candidates or your racism.

Should all citizens have the right to vote? Yes.

Why should we allow voting on the weekend and Monday? Because there are long lines.

Do long lines impede the right of citizens to vote? Potentially.

Does it matter that voters could have voted 30 days ago? No, the only time left to vote is now. Congratulations that you already voted, and maybe next time 50% of the people will vote early. It doesn’t change the fact that nearly 70% of the people still need to vote.

Are arguments against allowing voting over the weekend either racist or partisan, and most certainly anit-democratic? Yes.

By dj

October 31, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this

These “arguments” against allowing voting through the weekend would be far more convincing if they were not so racist.

Debate the real issue, not the candidates or your racism.

Should all citizens have the right to vote? Yes.

Why should we allow voting on the weekend and Monday? Because there are long lines.

Do long lines impede the right of citizens to vote? Potentially.

Does it matter that voters could have voted 30 days ago? No, the only time left to vote is now. Congratulations that you already voted, and maybe next time 50% of the people will vote early. It doesn’t change the fact that nearly 70% of the people still need to vote.

Are arguments against allowing voting over the weekend either racist or partisan, and most certainly anit-democratic? Yes.

By Juliana

October 31, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this

That “so called” extension assumed that you could get to very select voting locations ( 1 in my county) before 5. Now I still count myself fortunate to have a job and I work till 5.

So please don’t mislead folks.

You had to have a very flexible schedule to make it to those locations. Frankly those offices were open anyway, so in theory it wasn’t exactly a hardship on those workers to be there.

As too elections being expensive, yes, we know just ask me what’s it’s cost to hold one in Iraq.

By Copyleft

October 31, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this

Republicans will do anything to limit or discourage voter turnout; that’s their only hope this year, and they know it.

By Michael

October 31, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this

Remember that old piece of paper called the CONSTITUTION. (not to be confused with the AJC) It says that election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. It doesn’t say that we need to keep the polls open a month and then an extra weekend because of large turnouts. One day, one vote.

Shouldn’t the liquor stores and bars be closed the entire month of October since each weekday was “election day”?

By Houckster

November 1, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

I applaud Rep. Lewis for being willing to encourage the Secretary of State to extend early voting through Monday.

With the lines we’ve seen and with only 35% of the voters having cast ballots it will be a disaster on Tuesday if we don’t keep the polls open. The right of people to vote should not be restricted by age-old restrictions that had no way of anticipating the level of voter turnout we’re experiencing.

I’m rather suspicious that those who don’t want to make provision for extended hours believe that their candidate will benefit if a lot of new voters are shut out of the process given that a huge number of the new voters are from minorities.