"Then you push the buttons in column 2..."

[lapinluv]

That's what I heard at my polling place today. It's the first year we've used the push button voting booths. The pollworker was telling all the people (mostly elderly) how to use the machine and ending by saying, "Then you push the buttons in Row 2..."

When I called him on it, he said he just assumed we were all democrats (the town is mixed, but does usually go Democrat), but if we wanted to vote for Bush (he said this with utter disgust), we should push the buttons in row 1.

I though pollworkers were supposed to be neutral? I've never seen this type of activity before - it's crazy!

 

[Pete's Mom]

I stood in line with a woman who had given 3 older mentally handicapped people a ride to polls. I felt very sorry for them as they obviously did not have a clue as to what was going on. She kept repeating over and over that they needed to push the button next to Kerry.

 

[Dan Murphy]

That really is too bad.

 

[flaps]

Pete's Mom - I have a mentally handicapped SIL living in a group home in a swing state. If someone would do that to her, I'd be .

 

[christineann]

Here in Charleston it is very common for the patients with dementia to be brought in by vans. They are given pieces of paper with voting instructions. One poll manager tried to read the ballot to a voter, who said she didn't care who was running for office - she was supposed to vote according to that piece of paper.