PSA: When The Polls Close, If You Are In Line, Stay In Line!
They have to let you vote!
Yesterday, I waited in the early voting line for nearly six hours, which I guess is what I get for being a procrastinator.
By the time 5:45pm rolled around, at least three people — one of whom was the security guard working at the precinct, but who was clearly not an election official — started going around yelling at people in line that they should go home because the building was closing and they wouldn’t admit anyone after six. I don’t know what the laws are for early voting elsewhere — wait, yes I do: IF YOU’RE IN LINE, STAY IN LINE — but here in Chicago, they have to let you stay in line if you got there before close. Oh right, and everywhere else too.
Luckily, I have a big mouth and yelled at people to stay and the actual election officials came out quickly to tell people to stay and for the people saying otherwise to shut it.
Alas, about four people near me didn’t believe me and ended up leaving, as did a few people who left before I or the poll workers started telling people to stay.
Given this incident, while I am sure this is something everyone who is reading this site knows already … IF YOU ARE IN LINE, STAY IN LINE!!!!!!
If you are in line before the polls close, they have to let you vote. If you see someone going around telling people to leave, yell over them and, if they don’t stop, call your state’s voter protection hotline to report them.
Also! If you happen to be in an insanely long line today, go to the Pizza to the Polls website and they will send you many pizzas, for free!
Well, that's done. Another Iowa vote for Kamala.
Wonk wonk!!
I'm pretty sure this has been stated by others way smarter than me but I'm going to repeat myself: Federal Election Days should be a holiday. That is all.