Election Day here at last: What to watch for
By Bret Hayworth | Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Voting in her first election, Elizabeth Neemann waits to turn in her early voting ballot as she and other Sioux City residents vote early, Monday at the Long Lines Family Rec Center.(Staff photo by Jerry Mennenga)
The Election Day it sometimes seemed would never arrive is at hand, and by Wednesday, political ads can be expected to leave the landscape. But as you head to the polls, where turnout is expected to be strong, here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Poll hours: If you live in South Dakota and Iowa, you've got first chance at the polling places. Hours for voting in South Dakota are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and in Iowa, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nebraska polling hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2. To ID or not to ID: If you're voting in South Dakota, you must present a South Dakota driver's license or other valid photo ID at your polling place. In Nebraska, identification is needed only if you've been informed in advance by the county elections office. In Iowa, ID is not required unless you are undertaking same-day registration.
3. Presidential choices: The election isn't just a contest between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. And even Libertarian Bob Barr and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Ralph Nader, who also have some name recognition, aren't the only non-mainstream candidates.
The list of presidential contenders before Iowans includes those four plus Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party, Gloria La Riva of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Brian Moore of the Socialist Party USA and James Harris of the Socialist Workers Party.
Other races: Although the presidential race has been front and center for nearly two years, you'll also be asked to choose among U.S. House and Senate candidates, Iowa legislative hopefuls, judges standing for retention, and your neighbors who are running for county and township positions.
4. Ballot measures:
There are seven ballot questions in South Dakota, and the wording can be confusing, so read carefully. On Constitutional Amendment J, for instance, relating to term limits, if you don't like limiting the number of terms state lawmakers can serve, you vote affirmatively.
Specifically, if you want to change the state constitution to get rid of term limits, you vote "yes." A "no" vote leaves the constitution as is, limiting elected officials to a maximum of four consecutive terms.
Initiated Measure 11, which would ban most abortions, is clearer. A "yes" vote adopts the proposed law, prohibiting abortions except in cases where the mother's life or health is at substantial risk and in cases of rape and incest. A "no" vote rejects the proposed law.
In Iowa, voters will be asked whether they want to amend the state constitution to describe who cannot legally vote by replacing the phrase "idiot or insane person" with the kinder, gentler "a person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote."
And an affirmative-action amendment on the Nebraska ballot asks voters whether to change that state's constitution to bar preferential treatment based on race, gender and other factors.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Find your precinct
Click to download a pdf and find your voting location.
1. Poll hours: If you live in South Dakota and Iowa, you've got first chance at the polling places. Hours for voting in South Dakota are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and in Iowa, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nebraska polling hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2. To ID or not to ID: If you're voting in South Dakota, you must present a South Dakota driver's license or other valid photo ID at your polling place. In Nebraska, identification is needed only if you've been informed in advance by the county elections office. In Iowa, ID is not required unless you are undertaking same-day registration.
3. Presidential choices: The election isn't just a contest between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. And even Libertarian Bob Barr and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Ralph Nader, who also have some name recognition, aren't the only non-mainstream candidates.
The list of presidential contenders before Iowans includes those four plus Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party, Gloria La Riva of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Brian Moore of the Socialist Party USA and James Harris of the Socialist Workers Party.
Other races: Although the presidential race has been front and center for nearly two years, you'll also be asked to choose among U.S. House and Senate candidates, Iowa legislative hopefuls, judges standing for retention, and your neighbors who are running for county and township positions.
4. Ballot measures:
There are seven ballot questions in South Dakota, and the wording can be confusing, so read carefully. On Constitutional Amendment J, for instance, relating to term limits, if you don't like limiting the number of terms state lawmakers can serve, you vote affirmatively.
Specifically, if you want to change the state constitution to get rid of term limits, you vote "yes." A "no" vote leaves the constitution as is, limiting elected officials to a maximum of four consecutive terms.
Initiated Measure 11, which would ban most abortions, is clearer. A "yes" vote adopts the proposed law, prohibiting abortions except in cases where the mother's life or health is at substantial risk and in cases of rape and incest. A "no" vote rejects the proposed law.
In Iowa, voters will be asked whether they want to amend the state constitution to describe who cannot legally vote by replacing the phrase "idiot or insane person" with the kinder, gentler "a person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote."
And an affirmative-action amendment on the Nebraska ballot asks voters whether to change that state's constitution to bar preferential treatment based on race, gender and other factors.
Read more in Hayworth's Politically Speaking blog at www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs
Find your precinct
Click to download a pdf and find your voting location.
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Seriously wrote on Nov 5, 2008 8:56 AM:
It's sad that there are still people like this in this day and age. "
VICTORY wrote on Nov 5, 2008 8:38 AM:
The Truth wrote on Nov 4, 2008 5:01 PM:
A Minnesota professor who admitted that he stole campaign signs for John McCain posted along the highway has resigned.
Phil Busse left his temporary post at St. Olaf College after the school learned of his Oct. 30 posting, "Confessions of a Lawn Sign Stealer," in which the visiting professor admitted to snatching signs from Highway 19 in southeast Minnesota, the Northfield News reported Monday.
David Gonnerman, a spokesman for St. Olaf College, told the News that the school learned of Busse's actions on Friday.
"The administration made clear that Mr. Busse's actions were in direct conflict with the college's values and mission and that the college did not in any way condone them," Gonnerman said.
In his blog post, Busse said "yanking out the signs and running like a scared rabbit back to my idling car was one of the single-most exhilarating and empowering political acts that I have ever done."
He faces up to 90 days in jail and or a $1,000 fine, the paper said. "
....... wrote on Nov 4, 2008 4:07 PM:
Ashamed wrote on Nov 4, 2008 2:59 PM: