This is NOT to ask you to vote for any candidate or party in the August elections.
However, if you are a registered voter in Shelby County (and I hope that you are) and you intend to vote in the August 3 County General Elections and State & Federal Primary elections (and I hope that you do), I must beg, plead, beseech and IMPLORE you to VOTE EARLY.
I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL ELECTION DAY TO VOTE!
Two events are occurring that could lead to a "perfect storm" on August 3 that could result in voters still waiting in line to vote two to three hours AFTER the polls have closed. As you may know, we have new touch-screen voting machines. Despite the fact that the election commission has sent workers all over town to have voters test these machines, on August 3 there will be lots of people who have not seen these machines, and will be confused by them.
Adding to this is the fact that this is the largest ballot in the history of the County, with over 730 candidates in over 140 races from everything from Governor to Memphis Charter Commission. In short, it is horribly confusing even for an old hack like me.
Today, I early voted at White Station Church of Christ on Colonial, where I have voted early in the past. Normally, I would be in and out within 10 minutes; due to the number of people in line and the length of the ballot, I had to wait 20 minutes AFTER I got my ballot card before I could vote. Then, it took me 15 minutes to vote, and I pretty much whizzed through. Imagine how it will be on election day when you will have people who are unfamiliar with the machines and may take up to 30 minutes to vote!
Below are the Early Voting sites and times of operation; there WILL be early voting at ALL locations through July 29.
Please, please, PLEASE do yourself a favor and vote EARLY this time; you will be glad you did.
Steve
Satellite Locations, Dates and Times
Shelby County Election Commission (157 Poplar Ave., Suite 121)
BEGINNING on Friday, July 14, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 15, 2006 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
BEGINNING on Friday, July 14, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 15, 2006 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WEEKDAYS: July 17 through 19, 2006, 10 AM to 8 PM
WEEKDAYS: July 20 through 28, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
WEEKDAYS: July 20 through 28, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 22, 2006 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
LAST DAY: Saturday July 29, 2006, 10 AM to 4 PM
Satellite Locations Throughout Shelby County
BEGINNING on Friday, July 14, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 15, 2006 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Satellite Locations Throughout Shelby County
BEGINNING on Friday, July 14, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 15, 2006 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WEEKDAYS: July 17 through 28, 2006, 10 AM to 7 PM
SATURDAY: July 22, 2006 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
SATURDAY: July 22, 2006 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
LAST DAY: Saturday July 29, 2006, 10 AM to 4 PM
LOCATION NAME LOCATION ADDRESS
LOCATION NAME LOCATION ADDRESS
Agri Center (Rotunda Hallway) 7777 Walnut Grove Rd.,38120
Anointed Temple Of Praise (Youth Room) 3939 Riverdale Rd., 38141
Baker Community Center 7942 Church St. , 38053
Bartlett United Methodist Church 5676 Stage Rd., 38134
Berclair Church of Christ 4536 Summer Ave., 38122
Bishop Byrne High School 1475 E. Shelby Dr., 38116
Collierville Church of Christ 575 W. Shelton Rd. , 38017
Dave Wells Community Center 915 Chelsea Ave., 38107
Shiloh Baptist Church 3121 Rangeline Rd . , 38127
(replaces Ed Rice Comm. Center)
Greater Middle Baptist Church 4982 Knight Arnold Rd., 38118
(Fellowship Hall)
Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church 70 N. Bellevue Blvd., 38104
(Counseling Center)
New Salem M. B. Church 2231 S. Parkway E., 38114
(Fellowship Hall)
Pyramid Recovery Center 1833 S. Third St. , 38109
Raleigh United Methodist Church 3295 Powers Rd., 38128
St. George's Episcopal Church 8250 Poplar Ave. , 38138
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church 3045 Chelsea Ave., 38108
(formerly known as St. Stephen Baptist Church)
(formerly known as St. Stephen Baptist Church)
Westwood High School 4480 Westmont St. , 38109
White Station Church of Christ 1106 Colonial Rd., 38117
2 comments:
What do you expect from the Shelby County Election Commission - efficiency, accuracy and competency? I doubt it. It appears today's problem had to do with the inability to connect to the mainframe. Why didn't they just have a localized copy of the database on each pc? My copy with the index is only around 300 meg.
"Elections Administrator James Johnson told us the new voting machines themselves were fine, but that the computers used to verify voters before they vote couldn't connect to the mainframe. It meant massive, immediate delays as poll workers were forced to call in each voter to the main office."
It took you 15 minutes to cast your ballot???
It took me like 5 minutes. Were you still undecided about some races before you started?
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