Can someone please explain why Americans have to queue for several hours to vote? Do they have a shortage of ballot boxes or pencils or similar?

[Fillyjonk]

It has always confused me

Also, apparently, in many areas they HAVE to use electronic devices to vote which are manurfactured by a big Republican donor AND the inner workings of this machine are a trade secret (big }

honestly, from the outside American elections just seem so corrupt. They make our border-changing practices look quite reasonable.

i see the queues on the news - sheer madness!

surely it will put some poeple off?

Hmm, I wonder if they'll receive the same criticism as Zimbabwe did (though obv deserved).

I somehow think that it'll be fixed if the Republican's win, meself.

How the heck are you Filly?

Hmm, I wonder if they'll receive the same criticism as Zimbabwe did (though obv deserved).

I somehow think that it'll be fixed if the Republican's win, meself.

How the heck are you Filly?

I couldn't understand that either.

I'm going to email an american friend and ask.

I truly did only press that once.

I think it's because in some place they are voting for other things too e.g. changes to their state constitution which means the ballot papers are quite complicated.

Although, they should have expected HUGE turnout for this election and sorted themselves out in advance.

yes I am suspicious that that might be the point

Is it me, or do there seem to be a LOT of queues in Democrat areas and rather fewer in Republican areas.

Apparently Oprah Winfrey had to queue for 5 hours. 5 hours! Imagine the level of commitment that must take, even if she probably did have people to actually do the queueing for her.

How strange, was just going to start a thread on the same topic. It's bizarre. Why on earth do they have to wait 4 hours to vote? Don't they have jobs to go to/toddlers to entertain/lunches to eat?

I did hear on the news that the big queues are caused by far more people turning out to vote than they expected.
Don't know if it's true.

The thing is...I mean, if they are voting for several things, here's a thought, HAVE LOTS OF BALLOT BOXES.

I mean, voting for the leader of the free world...surely worth the cost of a few pencils and black boxes.

(I am very good thanks sorky. I am meant to be learning about stereoisomers but somehow have spent the past half hour looking at polling data and reading of david tennants departure from dr who.)

Huge, hour long queues at the ballot boxes and mysterious electronic voting machines manufactured by one of the parties standing?

Mugabe and Bush have clearly been sharing election day tips

It surely can't take more than one minute to enter the building, check your details against the list, get your ballot paper, mark a cross and post it FGS.

I mean I know they're American (don't care about the sweeping statement) but come on!

Even if they had 3 people on the task (typical here in the backwaters) that's still just under 200 people in an hour.

Unless they're still deciding which box to tick?

"I did hear on the news that the big queues are caused by far more people turning out to vote than they expected."

Oh YES I remember that line from 2001

BIG

We manage it ok, I've never had to queue more than a few minutes to vote, and even then I had old ladies playing with my offspring and offering me tea in compensation for the outrage of having to wait to cast my vote.

on radio scotland today they were visiting 'unusual' voting places in chicago
a pool hall
a hot dog cafe
a bar
the bartender said "oh yes lots of people vote drunk"

David Tennant is leaving!?!

I hope to God they get it right. They all deserve lynching if they don't.

Who Sorky? The Americans or the Dr Who deciders?

am wondering if they had to queue in dixiville or whatever its called (the one that has just announced obama win and has about 15 voters)

perhaps it is an american tradition

I don't know why they have to wait so long, but they are definitely voting on a lot more than just the president. They vote for all sorts of other offices and they vote on laws too, all the time, unlike us. We don't get to here about this. They will have a page or two of things to say yes or no to.

Can't believe I just typed "here", not "hear": I'll blame the pregnancy.

no he chose to leave

i know about this as I have watched an interview with him on youtube

I am realising how little I care about molecular rotation

Oh sorry, the American's. Numbskulls!

don't watch Dr.Who.

I know we Brittish are supposed to love a queue but I don't thik we'd bother to vote if we had to wait more than 5 minutes let a lone hang around for 5 hours!

I think the thing is that they must KNOW that they will have lots of things to vote on and they must KNOW that it will take a while, so why not plan for that?

I am a complete political junkie and I am utterly astounded that a whole nation can be bothered to queue for literally hours to vote.

and the great irony of this is that we are a nation that LOVE to queue (witness constant MN threads on trangression of subtle queing ettiquette)and yet we DON'T have queues

I am honestly baffled, unless it is just that they don't really want poor people to vote.

pmsl @ david tennant commment