Help make my vote count, seriously!

November 3, 2008 5:27 PM

Is there any hope for my vote?

So I'm registered in New Jersey but I'm at school in Georgia. I mailed my absentee ballot a good two weeks ago and yet, as of tonight, I have squat. I didn't get the ballot, nor did I receive the sample ballot.

Do I have any recourse? Is there any way I can possibly get my vote in for the election tomorrow? I hold out little hope.

posted by InsanePenguin to law & government (13 comments total)

I think your only real option now is to show up to vote in person. You really waited too late to check your absentee ballot, I think, but either they didn't receive your request and you can vote as normal or they did and you vote provisionally (depends on your state rules.)

Other option: call your board of elections in the morning if they aren't open now, but I'd guess they'll be inundated with calls.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:31 PM on November 3, 2008

Also, I don't know if you're in contact with your family in New Jersey if you're registered there. The ballot might have been sent to your house - happened to a few friends of mine here in Ohio.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:32 PM on November 3, 2008

Is there a chance it went to your "home address"??

If not how about a Road trip? I'd say it would be worth it.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 5:33 PM on November 3, 2008

http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/form_pdf/absentee_ballot-eng-7.18.07.pdf

VOTING INFORMATION:
5. Your actual absentee ballot must be received by the County Board of Elections before close of polls on Election Day.

Looks like you are out of luck, you should have called the NJ board of elections when the ballot didn't show.
posted by wrnealis at 5:37 PM on November 3, 2008

I've called my parents and my girlfriend, both of whom have addresses in NJ that I may have put down, though I know I put down my school address. Neither of them have received it.

Solon, do you mean show up to a polling place in Georgia? Do they allow that? Even if it was provisional, I want to get my vote in. Also, do you mean calling my board of elections in NJ or GA?

bbt, I'd take a roadtrip but it's a 12-hour drive, my car is in NJ, and I have classes tomorrow anyways.

Sorry for all the questions, but this is my first presidential election and I don't really know how it works.
posted by InsanePenguin at 5:38 PM on November 3, 2008

Solon, do you mean show up to a polling place in Georgia? Do they allow that? Even if it was provisional, I want to get my vote in. Also, do you mean calling my board of elections in NJ or GA?

I meant calling your board in NJ or showing up in NJ. Unfortunately because Georgia doesn't have same-day registration and voting, I think you're out of luck.

You could also try calling the phone number at Obama's Vote for Change website, or another voter watch group to see if they have any suggestions.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 6:29 PM on November 3, 2008

I think I'm going to stand in line tomorrow and see if I can at least cast a provisional ballot. I have plenty of ID for them to verify my information. From the research I've done, it seems like this is one of situations where a provisional ballot would apply. Is this true?
posted by InsanePenguin at 6:47 PM on November 3, 2008

No. A provisional ballot is used when someone appears at a polling place believing they are registered to vote, but do not appear on the voter rolls. So a provisional ballot is cast, and later, if the registration is indeed correct, the vote will be counted.

If you are registered to vote in NJ, you can try to vote in GA, but it won't work.
posted by gjc at 7:08 PM on November 3, 2008

Well, shit.
posted by InsanePenguin at 7:11 PM on November 3, 2008

New Jersey is solidly blue. Don't sweat it.
posted by PueExMachina at 7:59 PM on November 3, 2008

If you're still feeling bad about this:

Volunteer to drive some of your friends to the polls, or call the local Obama office and see if you can help out with knocking on doors or driving people or whatnot. Doing that will count more than your vote would have.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 8:48 PM on November 3, 2008

Volunteer to drive some of your friends to the polls, or call the local Obama office and see if you can help out with knocking on doors or driving people or whatnot. Doing that will count more than your vote would have.

Phenomenal idea, I can't believe I didn't think of that. I'll use my spare time tomorrow and call our local office, I'm sure they'll need some sort of help.

Thanks to all!
posted by InsanePenguin at 8:53 PM on November 3, 2008

Local Obama or McCain office. Sheesh, that was ridiculous of me.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 10:00 AM on November 4, 2008