How long would you be willing to stand in line to vote?

8 hours? Eh, honestly, probably not.

I doubt that will be the case in my voting district however….We now have absentee voting and early voting, for anyone.

Hopefully that will keep the lines down.

As long as I have to.

Waiting for 8 hours is a lot to ask. I would have some heartache with that and I’d be more apt to wait for something like a 1 hour time frame.

Honestly, I don’t know if a vote for Obama OR McCain is really worth any significant wait time. Neither of them are ideal candidates for the presidency in my opinion.

However long it takes. Fortunately, I’ve already voted via mail.

This year…this election…as long as needed.

I’ll bring my daughter’s princess sleeping bag and tent if need be.

I would endure whatever was necessary, but no waiting is necessary. I vote by mail.

I would camp out just like you do for concert tickets!

@astrochuck: Voting twins! high five

For this one, any amount of time necessary. For previous ones, I’ve waited 3 hours or so. Since I voted 2 weeks ago, it only took me 10 or 15 minutes!

I’m excited about seeing what the actual voter turnout rate is.

O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!

As long as it takes. This election is too important. Though looking at the pictures of the lines, I am happy I was able to vote by absentee ballot.

Still, they need to do something about making the voting process less painful. It’s absurd that people should have to wait hours and hours to do their civic duty.

I live in Minnesota which every year has the highest turnout of any state, and I’ve never had to wait at my precinct for more than 20 minutes. This year they’re expecting to up the number from an average of about 70 to over the record of 80% turnout. I’ve even heard 90% is possible, but the longest I ever waited (20 minutes) was in an election w/ 75% turnout, and I plan to go before 8am and I can give myself 45 minutes to get through the line. If that doesn’t work, I will go in the evening and stand in line as long as it takes. But also, 80% would be 3 million voters, and they expect 1 million to be cast by absentee ballot, so I’m thinking I’ll be in and out within 1/2 an hour, and can’t foresee it taking longer than an hour. The fact that people have to wait 8 hours means there’s a problem with their voting system, hopefully a problem President Obama will be able to fix. Anyway, yeah, as long as it takes, even if it meant 2 days.

Wow… I live in Canada, and I just walked right on up to the registration desk. Zero wait time. Then again, voter turnout up here was at a record low, and we have a pretty small population to begin with.

I would wait in line a few hours if I was prepared for it, had time to kill, really believed it was worth my time, and had a book in hand (or access to Fluther). Otherwise, I think I’d wait about half an hour.

I suppose when you have the freedom to go to the doctor when you’re sick and roll up some fat doobage whenever the urge strikes you, you can afford to be a bit more laid back about your elections, eh?

I would wait a good long time. If I know I’ll be waiting more than a few hours, I’ll bring my folding camp chair and a book.

@dale – Haha! Precisely. But in this time of financial crisis, you’d think that people would be more concerned about our federal election.

Actually, I have a question.

If the lines are long, and I’m supposed to be at work, can I get in any trouble for skipping work to vote (after informing them, of course)? I mean, voting is a right that should be allowed at all costs, right? Would I be able to lose my job over such a decision?

I’m pretty sure that they must allow you time off to vote. Anyone know for sure? Better safe than sorry!

I’d check with your employer’s HR department if I were you. For instance, at my job, we’re supposed to vote at some time when the polls are open but we’re not expected to be at work. We’re allowed to take vacation time if we need to, and ask in advance, but outright skipping would be… shall we say, frowned upon.

yeah, check with your boss or your HR dept to be sure, by law they have to give you up to 2 hours off, but practically, bringing down the hammer of the law on your boss isn’t always a great idea. Basically, most states have polls that are open for at least some period of time outside the normal workday, so it also depends on your schedule and the degree to which it conflicts with your state’s polling hours. In Minnesota, our polls open at 7 am and close at 8pm, I work 9 to 5, so no problems for me. But maybe your polls aren’t open as many hours and you work long hours Tuesday, you may have to take some time off. But one thing’s for sure, if you get to the polling place before closing time, if you’re in line before the polls close, they have to let you vote.

I will wait into the wee hours of the morning if need be…

When I worked for the city I was allowed 2 hours to vote, and I think it was just considered work time. Part of my civic duties….. not every state’s polls are open late, making it very difficult for some people to vote on election day if they have to commute, etc. I vote by mail though so I can volunteer on election day.