People On Twitter Explain How American Voting Works And People From Other Countries Can’t Believe It
Voting is done differently around the world. There are different systems of voting whereby either the popular vote wins or voters decide on reps who decide on the winner and whatnot.
But then there’s also the process of voting—where do people go, how do they cast their vote, and, most importantly, how long will it take. Well, the last one, turns out, is in HUGE contrast when it comes to the US and the rest of the world.
Apparently, Americans spend countless hours queuing and waiting for their turn to enter the voting booth and to cast their vote, whereas the rest of the world spends around as much time voting as one would spend waiting for the barista to make and deliver their coffee at Starbucks.
The internet is left surprised with how long Americans have to wait in line just so that they could vote
Image credits: cat_coronavirus
So, since it’s voting season in the US, a lot of Americans are sharing their considerably extreme voting experiences on Twitter. And then there’s Europeans and everyone else sharing their complete opposite experiences.
Turns out, people in the US often stand in line for hours, and I do mean literally hours
Image credits: Everlean_R
Image credits: rpbruns
Image credits: scofforama
A number of US citizens shared how they stood in line for two hours at the very least to a whopping eleven hours just so that they could vote. Talk about dedication to your country!
While some stand in line for about 2 hours, Johnta Austin had to do so for a whopping 11 hours!
Image credits: johntalsr
Image credits: CommChangeAct
Here’s what a typical voting line looks like as shown by one Twitter user
And it doesn’t matter what weather it is either—people are committed
This prompted a response from people from other countries around the world: Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and others. It turned out, the amount of time citizens of these countries spent partaking in the voting process was around three minutes. At worst, it was fifteen minutes. See the stark contrast here?
More specifically, in Sweden, it was three minutes because there was a senior in a wheelchair in the queue; in France, hardly no waiting time and no more than 10-people queues; in Canada, no more than two minutes; in Australia, where voting is mandatory, no more than three minutes. The list goes on and on.
It wasn’t long until someone asked the question—how long does voting take outside of the US?
Image credits: BrandonTozzo
Many internauts from Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico and other places responded with the opposite of what US voters experience
Image credits: mamapatti55
Image credits: GavNewlandsSNP
Image credits: pixelworship
Image credits: Louis_CAD
Image credits: JarkoMalone
So, why are Americans practically breaking records with their queuing to vote? The short answer seems to be the lack of resources (polling locations, voting station employees, etc.) to deal with the huge demand.
The longer answer, though, is “it’s complicated.” Besides the fact that too many people show up and there aren’t enough polling stations and people managing them, there’s also the long voting process within the ballots, technical problems, lack of polling station staff training, underfunding of election administrations, and a number of other small problems that make up one huge issue.
For the most part, the average voter outside the US spends around 2–3 minutes and no more than 20 voting
Image credits: shannahconnell
Image credits: dimsie
Image credits: annkatrinhahn
Image credits: OwenSohmer
Image credits: dianemariereid
Image credits: stopsatgreen
Image credits: Lactoo
Though, interesting to think, but some say that the long lines aren’t all that bad. It is said to be a celebration by those who endure them—it is a sign of patriotic enthusiasm. Others do think it’s more a form of sadism rather than a celebration, but nobody’s judging if it works for people.
What are your thoughts on this? Tell us your voting experience in your country in the comment section below!
Anyone would think that someone was trying to make it difficult to vote. And, as this is not a new thing, just a made much worse by Corona and Trump's bully boy tactics thing, it seems to be endemic in the system. So someone must be benefitting from it.
It's sad that my relatives live in a country where owning firearms is a right, voting is a privilege and health care is a luxury.
Considering that number one and number three are related, and number two is part of the process deciding both (either directly or through the people we elect to represent us).
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You can get healthcare in this country even if you don't have insurance. It's actually a little cheaper than going through an insurance company. I have insurance for life from a previous job. My son has no insurance but he does have a payment service he uses for paying his medical bills (the doctor sends the charges to the service, he gets billed in monthly payments). We have had the exact same tests run by the exact same doctor at the exact same time. His test cost less than half what mine cost because there was no insurance company to deal with. Hospitals also have a fund for people who don't have insurance to help them pay their bills. Sometimes they even have billing services to help. Anyone who thinks they have no access to medical care here has never tried to find out just what is available to them.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You obviously don't know what you are talking about. Voting and gun ownership are rights. Healthcare was fine until ObamaLama came up with his socialist plan that screwed everyone. If you want to discuss the real issues you can start with the outrageous costs of medical care not medical insurance. I have hospital invoices from surgery and 1 tylenol was billed at $1500, a surgical staple $1100 each, then the surgeon, anesthetist, mri reader and the list goes on all get billed separately. So people should be attacking the insanity of Dr's seeing you for 2 minutes so that they can overbook appointments and the average bill to see a Dr for 2 minutes is about $90 - $150. Labs and blood work cost extra. Attack the medical PAC's that influence Washington, Attack the drug companies raping people with prices 5000% higher than production costs of the drug. btw Our elected officials get taxpayer provided 1st class healthcare coverage because they know ACA they forced on us sucks.
D Bailey love
lindawalker511 yes
lindawalker511 what
lindawalker511 Good response!
lindawalker511 ?
lindawalker511 +
D Bailey follower
federicobenini ?
What are they even queueing for? What's going on that makes such a big queue? Is it only one polling centre for loads of people? I usually rock up, show my polling card, get a ballot slip, cross anything but Tory and chuck it in a box. 2 minutes tops.
Republicans have made efforts in recent years to reduce the amount of polling stations in particular in regions with many minorities, among many other things they do to make voting more difficult.
John Edgar Werner Philips haha
This year, we are literally voting for our lives. The office of prez is up for grabs as well as the Senate and House. Donald Trump* is our current president. Some people illogically adore and worship him, unquestionably. Others, like myself, are disgusted by his use of the gov't coffers as his own personal slush fund, the con jobs, the lying, the racism and xenophobia. We are also very discouraged about his handling of the Corona Virus. He has no plan except for a vaccine in an unknown number of years. Mr. Biden was President Obama's Vice President. He knows how to deal with politicians on the other side of the aisle, instead of arguing with them. He has class, dignity and intelligence, which we are sorely lacking in the US right now. So when we say vote blue we want the dems to win (Mr. Biden's party), red is the republican party who have abdicated their responsibility to the country. Choosing instead the desire for power and money.
Jaybird3939 easy
Yes, it is only one polling center for loads of people. In TX the Republican Governor decreed there only be one drop box for mail-in ballots per county. Some counties are over 1,500 square miles (over 4500 sq km).
LOL, under an article with primary sources showing how difficult voting is in places with reduced polling locations, D Bailey asks for proof sources. Who are we gonna believe, him or our lying eyes?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@John Edgar Werner Philips your reply is a complete fraud and grossly inaccurate. The individual States control the number and location of polling stations. Your ignorance is just mind boggling that you would even think let alone believe the BS you post. btw Please produce some proof sources that support your ignorant comments since voting is hardly difficult. Unless getting off your lazy butt and driving to polling stations which are always located close to the address you used when you registered.
Someone is benefiting from voter suppression, yes. This is what Trump said about a Democratic proposal to expand early voting and vote by mail: “They had levels of voting that if you ever agreed to it, you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
One might even conclude that as both parties have shared the white house fairly equally for most of the past hundred years that they're all as bad as one another, all playing the same game, and that this is exactly how it is intended to be. Feels bad that you can't blame it all on a manufactured boogeyman, but rather must blame it on the real boogeyman, who is as often as not your hero.
The pictures of people lining up for hours to vote in the USA always shock me. I am hugely impressed with their determination, but appalled at what the have to endure. I'm a dual citizen and have voted in both Canada and in the UK and have never waited more than 5 minutes to vote.
Yeah, they’re between a rock (queuing for hours) and a hard place (another 4 years of this regime and possibly losing democracy, according to people who have survived autocracies). F**k voter suppression so incredibly hard.
Julie C Rose love
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
regime? a regime does not allow peaceful protest,a regime does not allow free press a regime does not allow opposition either you have no idea what a regime is or you are willinlgy using a term which does not apply in this case but u still use it because it fits your narrative....if you would like to know what a real regime is pls go ask cubans north koreans venezuelans or chinese defectors to learn what a real regime is have a nice day
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The first way anyone ever loses their democracy is when they lose their freedom of speech. Tell me, which side keeps using the hate speech excuse to limit the freedom of speech?
Just FYI, this does not happen EVERYWHERE in the U.S. I have never had to wait in line to vote where I live. In the places where this happen, people need to work to change the local/state decision-making on voter accessibility.
D Bailey, i dont know know where you live BUT im thinking its in a pipe dream! I dont know anyone, voting anywhere in the US who has only waited a few min to vote. Ive lived in 2 states & multiple towns/cities between them & my experience is exactly like whats posted above. Just about everyone ive ever met has this experience when trying to vote. I know more people than id like to that literally just dont bother anymore because of what a hassle it is. I will scoot back & say that I actually know a few people who have voted with ease...BUT they were politicians & family of them, who find it unreasonable to wait in line in the grocery store let alone a voting one. They probably got escorted in past the people still waiting...
Alexis draskinis lol
Jamma do u live in an all white neighborhood, maybe that's why you are able to vote quickly.
jevais yes
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
This whole article is BS. Most polling stations get you in and out in less than 5 minutes. Been voting since the 1960's and never waited in line longer than a few minutes.
My state votes by mail, so no waiting in line for me.
Yettichild like
Yettichild love
Use to be max, 10 minutes, maybe. This is disgraceful. Pretty much red states in order to keep them red. Red states among some of the poorest in the country, yet they keep voting in their tormenters.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You win for the most ignorant comment on the internet today. "Red states among some of the poorest in the country" is stupidity at a whole new level and easily proven inaccurate.
Unfortunately, voter suppression is alive and doing very well in the US. Texas has limited drop boxes for ballots to 1 per county regardless of population. Some counties have over a million people. Georgia was so badly gerrymandered (re-arranging voting boundaries to favor one party) at one point, it wasn't considered a Democracy. Also, the Secretary of State was in charge of an election that he was participating in. The manipulation of voters is to discourage them from voting. This year it's backfired. That's why these long lines exist. People are determined to show their power and not let this obvious voter suppression fly. GO JOE!
1 ballot box for a million people? that is not democracy. I live in a small town, we had 4 ballot boxes for 1,200 people, and we didn't que at all. I walked in, got my voting paper, they gave me a pen (mine to keep) and I voted. I didn't even bring anything with me, it's all provided. No ques, no cops, no problems.
It's 1 drop off mail location per county. Harris county in Texas (which includes Houston) has nearly 8 million people. However, there are hundreds of early voting locations and anyone can vote at any location state wise until election day. On election day, you must vote at your registered location which could have a voter log of 10,000+ voters. Also, many states are refusing to count ballots from mail in voting after election day. The news is reporting that if you plan to vote by mail, it must have been mailed today to get in on time or your vote doesn't count. But apparently America is home of the free LMAO
In Texas they limit mail in voting to people over 65 or disabled. I was able to vote by mail this year because I am disabled. My husband dropped off my ballot for me when he voted and it only took him about 30 minutes and most of that was trying to get the poll workers to understand that he was dropping off my ballot and wanted to vote himself. They kept telling him he couldn't vote twice. I've voted in every election since I've been eligible to vote and it's never taken more tha 10 minutes. I have major respect for anyone who waited hours in line.
Mike Ward easy
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's not one ballot box per million. I live in Leander, Texas. For EARLY VOTING ONLY, you can either mail in your ballot, drop it off at the ONE LOCATION PER COUNTY, or go to a polling location (one per precinct) and cast your ballot. A precinct has roughly 250,000 people and early voting lasts for 10 days. If everybody in a precinct is eligible (which they aren;t, because children do exist) and everybody votes only during early voting (which they don't), and everyone decides to do it in person rather than mailing or dropping off their ballots (which they don't), then each polling location would still only have to handle 2,500 a day. Open for ten hours a day, that would be 250 people an hour. I saw about 20 voting machines at my polling location, so that would mean that each machine would have to accommodate 1 person every 6 minutes. Very reasonable. Keep in mind, these are all exceedingly generous numbers and the absolute worst assumptions, and still reasonable.
Eric Steward +
That is just unbelievable. Population of my town in Finland is about 120 000 and we have 31 places to vote on the day. Then there's the prevoting booths, hundreds all over the country and anybody can vote in any of them. The longest I've wated was 5 minutes and that was because of few elderly people who had truble walking, usually I just walk in.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's unbelievable because jaybird3939 is posting pure BS. Not a single fact in his post.
gerrymandered?? Is that legal?? What the f**k Man.. How could you get a fair democracy when you manipulated the voter?
Yup, only drop off location for Harris county is at NRG stadium. I early voted on a Saturday evening to avoid the lines. My district stretches from the NASA area, then a thin sliver down the coast and includes almost all of Beaumont, Orange, and Port Arthur. Not sure how that makes any sense.
This comment has been deleted.
Except they sold everyone on this mail in ballot thing, so in reality if you believe to be suppressed at voting, you probably want to get all the different factions who sold that mail in thing and complain to them and their terrible planning.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Jaybird3939 you're proof that ignorance is bliss. Your statements are fraudulent at best. Texas has not limited drop boxes to 1 per county that's your 1st lie and Texas has very few counties with a population of 1 million. Yet I can drag you through 100's of counties where polling stations deal with population counts of 5000 or less and 100's of towns with populations numbering in the hundreds. So in summary you are full of S%$T ! lol I live in a Texas county with 15K people and we have documented 17 polling stations open on election day and open until Oct 30th for early voting.
Sweetie, not talking about polling stations. I'm talking about drop off ballot boxes. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation Thursday limiting the amount of drop-off locations for mail-in ballots to one site per county. Harris County is the largest by population with 3.8 million residents. On to Georgia: In 2011, Georgia Republicans gained full control of redistricting for the first time and immediately began gerrymandering Democrats out of power. Ms. Abrams, a black woman, lost the race to Kemp, who was Secretary of State at the time Abrams had alleged throughout the campaign that Kemp, who stepped down as secretary of state after the election, had been working to disenfranchise minority voters, deny or delay new registrations and purge voting rolls (which he did). So, I believe you owe me an apology. Secondly, I would not do your research for you, but since you accused me of being ignorant, a liar, and a fraud, I thought I would show you how the real world is.
LET ME OUT OF THIS COUNTRY I HAD NO IDEA!
canada exists
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Only way out is death or leaving by plane.. But death is much more cool
People really cant take joke on this app ;-;
Or you can walk or take a boat, you know?
Death may be easy'er
So is this about number of and location of polling booths? In the UK they are everywhere (local primary schools seem to be a favourite location) and you can often have up to 4 people voting at a time. So you can get tens of thousands of votes done in lots of smaller locations. I've tried, and I can't make the maths work. Even allowing for the 6 foot social distancing rules.
Yeah, in Spain the usual voting locations are also primary schools. Voters are assigned a school depending on where they live. The one my husband goes to usually has it set up so that two people can vote at the same time, and it's never taken him more than ten minutes. Lines usually get longer in the afternoon as people leave work, so the trick is to either vote first thing in the morning or at lunchtime when everyone's eating. In Spain there's about a two-hour gap (from 1 to 3) that you could consider "lunchtime".
No. It's a mix of gerrymandering (please google, too tired to explain) and other means of voter supression.
Yeah, it just sounds so crazy to me as a Canadian. With every election, there's always 1 or 2 voting stations within walking distance of where I live and I don't even live in a big city! Every voting station is also well organized with multiple booths and lots of staff on hand so the process is quick and easy.
Marianne Sato ?
Marianne Sato yes
I'm 50 yrs old and I live in Canada. I've voted in 10 federal elections and I can't tell you how many provincial and municipal elections in 3 different provinces. I don't think I've ever had to wait more than 30 minutes to cast a ballot. As far as I'm concerned, the tactics used by political parties in the US amount to willful voter suppression. In Canada, conspiring to prevent people from voting is a crime and I've seen party members face criminal charges when they try to mess with the voting process. I don't understand how American citizens can allow political parties to impede their RIGHT to vote. I'm sorry but that's not democracy. You don't live in a free country.
This is primarily happening in states that support 45, and is a voter suppression tactic. In Biden-blue Colorado, I got my ballot in the mail, dropped it off with no wait in a collection box near my neighborhood, and got a text the other day letting me know it had been received and would be counted. This should be how it works everywhere. Go Joe! Take our country back!
But isn't that illogical? If red state does this, the people trying to vote Republican would also be standing in line for ages and might give up... Or do they only do this strategically in areas with a higher percentage of blue voters then?
Exactly. It's done especially in cities, where the probability of voting for the democratic party is higher.
Martha Meyer -
babyhen Good response!
Jane Hollestelle haha
Jane Hollestelle love
This comment has been deleted.
45 admitted that if more people were allowed to vote, especially mail-in vote, no Republican would ever win an election again. He said that on Fox and Friends. The he appointed a political donor as Postmaster General and slowed mail delivery. He is the head of the Republican Party, whose members at the state and local level are making these decisions regarding polling stations. If you think that voter suppression is a “libtard delusion” you may also think that Breitbart and OANN are legitimate news sources.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Jane Hollestelle you make a complete BS comment and "45" has nothing to do with polling stations which are completely under the control of the state they exist in. Enough with the fake news and libtard delusional posts.
In South Africa it's pretty normal to wait in line for 2-4 hours, in some areas much longer. The fact that in this regard USA resembles one of Trump's African 'shitholes' is kind of funny...
New Zealand here. We recently had an election, and when I voted I timed how long it took. From the moment I got out of my car, walked into the voting station, got my papers, cast my vote, and returned to my car it was four minutes and thirty seven seconds. It took longer to get an ice cream afterwards.
Mine took about 5 minutes and that’s only because I have generalised anxiety that manifests as what people casually call “OCD” and I checked and rechecked my ballot about half a dozen times. Also, the NZer who was in the main post is the person who made the #NZHellhole hashtag!
Same deal for me (kiwi) there was a longer wait for the teddy bear hospital they were holding at the same school as vote collecting! Took me about 5 mins including walking there and back, and I'm a slow walker! If it had been busy there were other voting places everywhere
So much for the flagship of democracy, eh? EDIT: Let me amend that, 'cos it diminishes those who stand in line for hours and hours and hours to cast their vote. Those people are persevering for their right to vote. It's a shame they have to go through this is the so-called leading country of the free world, the flagship of democracy. Well, that flagship has sprung a LOT of leaks, and bless these people for bailing away and trying to keep it afloat.
That flagship of democracy is 25th in the Democracy Index and officially classed as a Flawed Democracy not a full one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
Hopefully we will. We're a relatively young country - we were bound to go through s**t like this, eventually.
It isnt like this everywhere...it really is dependent on your state and local governments and how they pass laws/provide access. I live in a city of about 250K in the Midwest and the longest I ever waited was 20 minutes when I went during a busy time the first election you needed voter ID....so things were a bit slower. My city had all 270+ parks as early voting sites for several weeks, libraries are early voting sites, etc. I also called to volunteer at the polls beginning of September and they were not taking anymore poll workers anywhere in the entire county. I do admit I live in a predominantly white city with higher education and income so more people have the resources to miss a day of work to work the polls. But some places where people wait for hours and hours is by design.... Republicans have spent the past 2 decades eroding the value of Democratic votes while trying to suppress POC from voting. It's mostly by design.
My state (Washington) has mail-in voting. I got my ballot 2 weeks before election date, so I just filled it out, dropped it off at the city hall drop box (could have mailed it, but chose to drop it off myself). 2 days later I checked on line and they confirmed that they received and counted my ballot.
Yes, I think it’s important to note that this is a state-by-state issue. I’m also in Washington where mail-in voting is the only option (which includes drop-off boxes, and postage is now free), so voting is very painless here. I am sad for states that make voting so difficult, but it doesn’t have to be that way in the US.
Johnny -
Johnny what
To be fair not everywhere in the US is that bad. I've voted every presidential election and most midterms for the last 20 years and I've never waited more than 10 minutes. This year I requested an absentee ballot by mail and dropped it off at city hall which took less than a minute.
Yep! I've never voted in person, so I never had to wait (other than waiting for my ballot).
Back in "normal times" sans Covid & Trump, it really didn't take very long to show up at the polls and vote. Then mail-in votes were implemented. I've been voting that way for a number of years in the Pacific Northwest. Don't believe the negative BS Trump says about it. Just another one of his numerous lies. Truly so sad that Trump, Covid, and fear of violence have changed all that. I wish more states would have mail-in voting!
Annie is right, in some states, voting is easy and quick. But Katrina is also right - there were huge voter suppression tactics in Texas and Georgia recently (I'm sure plenty of other places, but those are the ones I remember) that have nothing to do with covid.
That's not true. There were place, especially in high POC areas where there is voter suppression and gerrymandering and it didn't matter who was president. There was long lines for voting during the election of Obama's second term.
Dodge City, KS: 60% Latino and no polling place in town at all: https://apnews.com/article/78f02d14245043aab005046ef4063c10
Cleveland comes to mind.
I highly recommend listening to Stuff You Missed in History Class's podcast on redlining (A Brief History of Redlining parts 1 and 2) which gerrymandering is part.
I had thought until now all states had that option? Do states have the ability to set their own voting systems, and is there any sort of federal blueprint? I find the state laws vs federal laws thing confusing but then again im not american so i dont hear much about the finer points of state governance, normally just the bigger issues etc
Yes. All states can set their own voting laws.
Nope, not all states have mail in voting. Some it's all they do (IE: Washington), some have it for only certain peoples (Indiana is military and/or you have a legit reason (covid was not)). And yes, states, have, within reason, the ability to set their own voting "systems". For example, I've never voted in person. Where I grew up, Washington, my county switched the year I turned 17 to mail in voting only. And then in 2005 it was made a state-wide policy. I live in a different state now but I still vote by mail, well, because for one I'm lazy, and two, especially with state elections, I like to be able to read about the measures while I'm filling out my ballot, that way I don't have to remember everything if I were to vote in person.
1hr 20min for me today in indiana. early voting
Brant Johns +
Brant Johns easy
Good article but it doesn't explain why this happens. Republicans have passed laws that allow local governments to base the number polling locations on prior turnout. There's always local elections before presidential and local elections have very low turn out. Because of this, state legislators will argue to close polling stations citing low turnout at prior elections. Other tactics are also used in strong favor of Republicans. For example, Governor Abbott of Texas has passed a law allowing only one drop off location for mail in ballots per county. Counties in rual areas are primarily Republican and have low population density but since Texas is so large, there are many rual areas. Counties like Harris (with the city of Houston and others) have a population of 8 MILLION with one location. More than 2/3rds of all Texans live in a city with a Democratic mayor. But Republicans keep power at the state level because of favorable voting conditions for rual cities.
I worked a polling place three tines in CA. Long hours starting at 6 am. I was the boss one year. Who ever was in charge delivered a foot locker full of paper. Good thing my son was home. He helped me get it to the polling place. Never had a crowd except right before closing. Loved doing it. Low pay. No one stood in line for hours. That states make voters do that is to discourage voting period. I now live in AZ and voted and mailed my ballot last week, USPS. It was received. This BS revolving around the post office has been created by republicans and 45 and again is to discourage voting. Shame on them.
Last time I voted in México I was in line for about 2 hours, and just because there was a looong line of people ready to vote :)
Omg.... This is crazy. I am from India, which has much much higher population. Avg waiting time is 15-30 minutes. I don't think people would vote if they had to wait 6-12 hours.
Zaineb Bookwala good
Zaineb Bookwala follower
Zaineb Bookwala -
Romania here... The country everyone mocks and laughs at... Never waited for more than 10 min to vote, and that was when I went to vote right when people came out of churches. Quick, easy vote.
Wow! I had no idea people had to wait so long! Those poor people! I must say, I truly admire their perseverance. It makes me value how easy it is for me living overseas: I just have to send in my overseas ballot. I sent it yesterday through email and today I received a notification saying that it was being processed. I live in Spain. Elections here are usually held on a Sunday, the law says people must have time off work in order to vote (if necessary because they have a long commute, etc.), and the voting stations are open from 8 am to 8 pm. I usually accompany my husband when he goes to vote and it has never taken more than ten minutes.
In Estonia we can online vote since 2005 already....
Reena Kartau what
Reena Kartau follower
It is ridiculous to have to stand that long in a line to vote, but it's also heartening to see so many doing just that. I remember years when voter counts were amazingly low and MTV had to do its bit just to get young people to even register. Not to mention, a lot of us are and will be standing in line, with perfect strangers, in the middle of a damn pandemic and we'll stay in line despite the risk.
It's all such an obvious ploy to keep voters home. Especially POC and seniors. It's backfired grandly on 45* and the other repubs. People are so angry that they consider it a badge of honor to stand in line for outrageous hours and cast their vote (hopefully against lumpy yam* and the rest of the crooks).
And to think that in my country it is a crime NOT to vote. You cannot tell me America is a democracy when they do not having voting equity?
Well, it isn't considered a full democracy anymore - it's officially classed as a Flawed Democracy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
I feel like it is the politician's fault not the citizens.
It is.
I literally live 10 minutes away from one of these places and drove by, thinking the line looked crazily long. Thankfully, where I live, voting is fairly quick.
It's the same in South Africa and so many other African countries. You're not special! First world people problems!
So not only do you have to wait AND take time out from work, but no one gives you lamingtons or a sausage in bread?!
No! They can't even keep the pen. I was a poll worker in 2016 (sob) and 2018, and we were told to chase people down to get the pens back!
I live in a suburban, mostly white neighborhood of Los Angeles. I have never had to wait more than 5 minutes, including this year. But every year I watch the local news on election night, and there are stories of people in non-white Los Angeles neighborhoods waiting hours to vote. My husband has had employees who said they stood on line for hours and eventually had to leave without voting because they had to come to work. So the access to convenient voting varies widely along racial and socioeconomic lines. even in a Democratic party stronghold like Los Angeles.
Very true. That’s a sad reality for many. It shouldn’t be this way. Everyone should be equal in regards to voting.
Vanessa Lapato ?
In Indonesia.. Took about 30 minutes.. Each person only spend like 3 minutes.. So I queue behind 10 person.. And yes.. Voting day is always a mandatory day-off..
In Brasil it's usually very easy to vote , there's an effort to make it acessible even in remote areas such as the amazon rainforest. This is appaling...
Luiza NP like
While the UK has many faults, this isn't one of them. There are more than enough polling stations. All of them are open 7am-10pm on the day. No ID is required. Walk up to your polling station. Go inside. Tell them your name and get given your ballot slip (which are very simple, just a few names standing as local MP, and put a cross next to the one you want - nothing else to vote on). Vote. I am 55 and I have never had to queue. Perhaps wait for a few seconds for a booth to be free. I am so sorry that Americans are being told they live in 'the land of the free' and yet are treated worse than some really struggling countries when it comes to trying to vote. You deserve better!
Roxy Eastland good
Why do they have to wait in lines like that? Is stupid!!! I live in Colombia, South America! Third world country! And the only thing I have to do is check online the number of my table and go where my "ID" is registered and vote. It doesn't take more than 5 minutes!!
I'm Italian. I wait in line 10 minutes TOPS to cast my vote, but most of the times, less. And we vote on Sundays. This sounds unbelievable to me.
I didn't know this. It must've been heart breaking for people who queued 10 hrs or so four years ago, only to find out the following day that Trump had won. Let's hope it's worth it this time.
It usually doesn’t take as long as it’s taking this year, because the pandemic is making lines longer and slower. You have to stand six feet apart, and they take your temperature before even letting you check in. Plus, it’s always longer if you go to the polling place during the busier hours. That’s why I use the option to vote early. In and out this year, even with the social distancing and temperature taking, in about 20 minutes—-and I wasn’t the first person in line.
I did the early voting and didn't have to wait very long, but I also live in a small town where no one is that particularly interested in suppressing anyone. I imagine that this is not the case in the bigger cities in Texas like Dallas or Houston. However, even if I had to stand in line for hours, I would do it just to get Trump out.
In case anyone wants to support voters in long lines. World Central Kitchen run by José Andres is working with local restaurants to feed voters in long lines. You can donate or volunteer. https://chefsforthepolls.org/
France here....the polling stationused to be only 50 m from my home, now they changed it to another place.... 200 m from my home. Waiting time: 0 hour, 0 minute because we are almost among the first to vote.
I'm in Baltimore Maryland in the US, I got there 15 min before the polling place opened and was done about 15 after they opened.
Dave In MD what
Canadian here. I've never had to wait at all for a Federal or Provincial election. I may have had to wait 10 minutes for a municipal election. 11 hours is unacceptable.
Last election in Québec I waited around 20 minutes, but that’s because I made the mistake of going directly after work so it was rush hour.
For a country still using miles and pounds and still using little red letterboxes with little flags on them ... this total lack of efficiency is no surprise. Let the Mexicans run the place. Really.
What is causing the hold up in the USA voting system? It only takes a few seconds in the UK and you almost never have to wait in line. Are there many forms to fill in or are you searched for weapons, ID checked, etc. What is exactly involved?
Kim Fyson what
Kim Fyson love
In the Netherlands it’s ‘ok, get in there fill in this form real quick, put it in a box and get outta here’. No line at all.
The US electoral system is a complete mess: different voting methods (machines, physical votes), different IDs to vote across states, different criterias to register to vote, voters expunged from voting registers, gerrymandering, different limit dates to count absentees votes, excessive weight to less populated states, etc. etc.
This may be anecdotal more than anything, but I'm under the impression that the long lines are in less favourable districts. I'd be curious to see/hear what someone who lives in an upscale part of town has to say about their waiting lines. And of course this is done on purpose...
Jos Tiguidou ?
I absolutely admire the dedication of the US voters. Those are some tough cookies! How does that even work? Election day is during the week when most people have to work. So they not only sacrifice 10 hours of their life but one of their precious and few vacation days as well? And how do you even stand in line for so long without collapsing? Do you wear diapers? Do you bring chairs and food with you? This is absolutely insane. The more I learn about the American voting system, the more confused I get. Btw I'm from Europe, Austria, and I've waited maybe 3min? The voting process itself (showing your ID, getting the ballot, and actually voting) normally takes longer than waiting in line.
Jihana like
most places of employment allow to you take time off to go vote I think it’s illegal if they don’t let you go. I don’t think they have to use vacation days but I may be wrong. But yes that’s still crazy. If they’re in line for 10 hours they’re missing that pay they could be receiving and not everyone can afford to do that so many aren’t able to vote because of that. This is the first year I’ve ever voted and we did mail in ballot thank goodness but I know typically around here in Kentucky the wait isn’t very long maybe 30 minutes but my friends who live in bigger cities wait hours.
For all the bragging the US does, it seems to lack in many areas, voting one of them. I have never waited to vote and it is always just in our area, a block or so from home. Canada ROCKS!!!
Fairsher yes
Fairsher -
the U.S is a mess 0-0
This just doesn't make sense I'm from a third world country & longest i have ever waited for voting is 15min which was due to the fact it was only polling station in our area & also very crowded one
Unfortunately each state has its own rules regarding how we can vote. I can see that almost all of these are east coast states that tend to have the most outdated laws. In Colorado most of us vote by mail / drop off our mail ballots in secure drop off points that are usually within 5 mins of where you live.
Nicholas T Willis-Lammers follower
Nicholas T Willis-Lammers follower
I always early vote and NEVER have to stand in line in Texas
Bret Hegmann easy
Bret Hegmann what
In Brazil, like a miracle, voting is the only thing that really works, we spend no more than 5 minutes in line and the results are known in the same day. Unless the fact that we have Bolsonaro as president, we should be an example for you, fellow Americans.
Flávia Guimarães good
Flávia Guimarães love
It's not typically like this in the US. We're having record early turnout for many reasons, including a very contentious election, in some states the early voting laws changed just this year to make early voting easier and available to more people, and there's a lack of trust in the postal service for the mail-in ballots.
Holy sh** - the longest it took for me... 6min including the walk to the station and back home o.o
What is the reason for this situation? Do they have too few polling stations or what?
Longest I "had" to wait was about 51 seconds and that was because I chose to let some people out the door before I entered (plenty of space , mind you, to enter/exit at the same time, just common courtesy) It took me about 2 minutes to walk from my house, about 4 minutes to enter, get checked, cast my vote and exit the building, another 2 minutes to walk back home This was at a "busy" location, as I live downtown/city center
They should send the American electoral staff to anywhere else, to see how it’s done. I’m horrified at the long waits.
It’s apparently intentional. Horrible, evil politicians.
I'm lucky in that I live in a smaller city and it only took me about 5 minutes to advance vote. I firmly believe these long lines are on purpose make it more difficult for the working class hoi polloi to vote. I also think the hoi polloi is getting wise to this crap and hopefully will demand some changes.
Slightly stupid question sorry but what in particular makes it so hard to vote. UK teen here so I don't really know how the process works
It's a combination of things. But in most cases it's due to gerrymandering and redlining (I HIGHLY recommend listening to Stuff You Missed in History class's episodes titled: A Brief History of Redlining). It some places, it's because there's a lack of places to accommodate the larger turnout (the turnout this time around is unprecedented).
I did early voting 2 weeks ago and I was in and out of the polling station in less than 15 minutes
In the 24 years since I registered to vote, I have never had to wait in a line to vote. So my answer is 0 seconds. I’ve never had a queue. In the more than 10 elections I’ve voted in, I have always just stepped out of the car and walked straight into the room. There is often no more than 3 people already voting inside when I go in, though there are over 20 booths. And this is in Australia where voting is mandatory.
Jazz Pycroft -
Jazz Pycroft what
I have a postal vote in the UK. Very easy.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Yep, walk in. Give them my name, they give me a slip, I go over and x on it then put it in the box. Walk out. Longest part of it is them finding my name on an alphabetical list. I wouldn't wait 11 hours if there was a ps5, a new porsche and a blowjob at the end
Andrew Bridge no
they make it hard to vote because they made a system that puts people of color in lower class, and the lower the class you're in, the harder it is to vote.
we waited less than 10 minutes.
i just voted last Thursday, it literally took me and my wife 15 minutes. that sucks for these people having to wait that long.
brandon sat +
So I'm from Romania (yeah, yeah, were Dracula is from and what Trump would call a shithole country) and had to wait a maximum of 15 minutes to vote. Sure, it's worse for those voting abroad because there are a lot of people and few places to vote, but that is the exception. It amazes me that in 'Murica, the land of the free and home of democracy you have to o through this. And don't even get me started on the electoral vote, that system makes absolutely no sense...
Diana Pantiru good
Waiting 11 hours to vote is weird. Last time I voted it took maybe 1 minute, I remember thinking I barely had to lock my bike because I was inside the building for such a short time. The process of locking my bicycle up with two locks probably took longer time than it took me to vote.
This is often a state by state thing. I have never waited in line to vote. You can vote practically everywhere around her. My first votes were in my neighbors garage. Yes, she hosted a polling center in her garage. That was a few years. I've voted at community centers, churches, schools.....I thought there might be a line this year, so I went to the registrar of voters weeks ago. I waited about 5 minutes. I'm glad to live in a state that is more friendly to voters than others.
I've never had to wait longer than 10 mins (in the US) in the past, but I seriously wonder if the lack of waiting lines was because most people just weren't voting...
In Australia voting's mandatory and on the day itself (if you haven't done an early or postal vote) the queues CAN be long (i.e. like 20-30 mins) but it's really well organized and there's food and drink being sold for charity (usually benefits the school where the polling station is, or St John Ambo or something). And yes, there's dogs sometimes which makes it all worth it.
Anna McHugh -
illiadrm yes
I'm in Scotland so this is just utterly mad! How is it taking this long though? I'm confused
The fledgling dictatorship is at it again... Do people not see the red flags!?
from the first look, it seems bad... however, I truly believe that no Karen will wait that long to vote for Trump. No Trump voter would wait that long. Almost no. If you came, you came for democracy to put all the political bullshit back into rightful place. Although it won't change a lot - the biggest problem in the USA is still curriculum and you can't change it in just one cadence.
max 5 minutes in Poland. I've never wait longer to vote.
The last time I voted it took me 15 minutes of waiting. You know why? The woman that was responsible for me had to use the bathroom which took like 10 minutes. I'm really impressed you people have so much patience. Respect.
In the good old USA the conservatives make voting more difficult in order to suppress persons of color voting for Democrats. They reduce the number of voting places (Georgia, Texas) and reduce the early voting access (Florida, where I live) and reduce the number of absentee ballot drop off places (Texas, particularly Houston has one drop off box for a population in Harris county of over 5 million!). Racism and conservatism is the cause, intertwined.
Laughs in Estonian... Voting can be done over a smartphone here.. with a digital signature.. along with all other bureaucracy
Viljar Niit Good response!
Laughs in Estonian... Voting can be done on a smartphone here.. with a digital signature
Most of this is nonsense. In Midtown NYC it took me less time to vote than to walk to the polling place (Madison Square Garden) from my apartment: 10 minutes. It was raining and people stayed home. Next day it was only cloudy but my wife managed tovote in even less time. She said the poilling staffers looked LONELY. A lot of this complaint-storm is generated to build support for online voting. I admit that it would be easy--but too easy, tending to encourage thoughtless voting. And of course--no one wants to admit this--it's infinitely hackable. Mail-in voting is also easily corrupted. In-person voting is the best way, althought there's no need, I think to do it all on one day. Two days, alphabetically divided (A-M, N-Z or something like that) would make it more efficient, and everyone would be able to take the whole day off to vote.
I'm from the UK (Scotland if you want to be specific), been voting since I was 18, and to the best of my recollection I have never - NEVER - had to queue for more than a couple of minutes before casting my vote.
There has been a problem with not enough volunteers, but that certainly can't explain all of this. I remember the vote in 2012. I lived in Minneapolis (home of G. Floyd) - one of the poorest parts. My son and I had learned that my former informal foster son had died the day before. (I hadn't seen him in 4 years, but my son talked to him frequently on FB.) We were in shock, but I especially wanted to go, because I had taken him to vote for his first time, and it was a good memory. He thought it was very important and so do I. So, standing there in rainy weather for about two hours with nothing to do but think about his death was super fun, let me tell you. I never had to wait when I was out in the suburbs, but live in a poorer neighborhood and it's a whole different ballgame.
Here is my problem with this - the STATES are responsible for the administration of elections. If you are having to wait this long that is a failure of your state, but in no way is indicative of the way it is everywhere. I have lived in multiple states and not once have I ever had to wait more then 10 minutes. I wait in line far longer then that at the grocery store all the time. At the end of the day it comes down to mismanagement - not because of Trump. If you are waiting this long speak to your elected representatives about the need for more polling spots or better staffing to make the lines move faster. Inquire about becoming a poll worker to help.... Instead of complaining and finger pointing because things are broken where you are, be the change you wish to see.
Eva Sawyer easy
Hmmm... I live in a heavily populated suburb of Washington DC and voted today. Took *maybe* five minutes.
Buzz Covington like
I voted yesterday. From the time I got to the polling place until I was leaving was about 30 minutes. (It takes time to color in all those little ovals on the ballot.)
I live in Miami Fla. It took me 5 minutes to vote. Don't believe everything you read.
Flavia Slag no
That’s great good for you! Just because you only had to wait 5 minutes where you voted doesn’t mean it was the same for everyone else...
This comment has been deleted.
Once I voted on my way from night shift. It took me five extra minutes, one and half minute to get to voting place from my normal route, one minute to find my ID (couldn't open the zipper to get out my wallet) one minute to put the paper in bin and one and half minute to return to my path. But I live in country where even something like presidental election can bring in only 60% of people, so I guess if we would have to wait 8 hours for it, only 0,5% would vote...
in other countries you arent even allowed to vote in socialist cuba there are not elections in socialist venezulea there are elections but if you vote the ''wrong''one you wont get food and the military might arrest and beat u if youre in europe there you can vote too just to have a troika implemented which decides over what your countries fiscal policies are so your vote even is less worth than the votes in the usa......just to give a little perspective on voting in this world......TRUMP 2020 LATINOS PARA TRUMP
I don't even leave home for elections. But that is only because we can vote online. That is in Estonia.
These long lines are clearly only for 2020 voting. 2016= average wait: 8 minutes 2014 midterms= average wait: 4 minutes 2012= average wait: 12 minutes 2008= average wait: 14 minutes Source: https://medium.com/mit-election-lab/insights-into-voting-wait-time-from-the-2016-elections-performance-index-6693576e9b99 I, personally, waited about a week to fill out my mail-in ballot 🗳 Filling it out and walking it down to the post box took literally about 5 minutes. 📫
cade easy
In india 5 mins. Easy. Only difficult thing was to get myself registered
I live in India, I am 38, have been voting since I turned 18 so that is almost 20 years. Never I have waited more than 15 max. My mother who used to work as government school teacher has worked as polling official in almost all elections since 70s she too says it has not crossed 20 mins in the past too. So unable to fathom what happens in US which slows them to this extent.
Paul Stephen Adaikkalasamy what
I'm actually curious about the mandatory vote thing. The last time we had an election (UK), I was so sick on the day that I could barely lift my head, and it was contagious because my partner had it the next day. I wouldn't want that passing around a building of elderly people but I was fine until the day of, was absolutely planning to go vote, and it was the first one I have missed. What would happen in that situation with mandatory voting? This is a genuine question, I never thought about it until I read just then that Australia has mandatory voting.
Netherlands - max 15 minutes because i went during lunch break. But you get time off to vote here actually. It's always fun chatting with people in line anyway, especially if kids come with their parents.
I'm both a kiwi and an Australian. Both systems are different but both governments make it as easy as possible to vote. The NZ govt makes it soooo easy to vote even when I'm living in Australia for a while. The Australian government bends over backwards to make it quick and easy. And there is sausages and dogs...
Bunny Wood no
In the Netherlands I once waited a full 6 minutes to vote. But usually it's maybe 2, or none at all...
Not-so-MadMax yes
I live and vote here in Ireland. I just drive up to the polling station, walk straight into the building, show my ID and get my voting card where I tick the name of the person I am voting for, drop the folded card into the ballot box and leave and go home. The whole process takes about 10 minutes if that.
WTF? I've never waited more than a few minutes
I work the state and federal elections here in Australia, longest people wait is 5 mins if its a busy polling place, we have heaps of staff, well organised and efficient. I can still vote in New Zealand...did and overseas vote this year...received email...printing voting papers, voted scanned and emailed back...5 mins and done.
NWB good
keyontoh love
anastasiavillioti like
To be fair, people are voting early here in record numbers, and many of them were so jazzed to vote they went on the very first day of early voting which made for the ridiculous lines. I voted by mail, but since I'm from Texas I was only allowed to because of "disability" (you can only vote by mail in Texas if you're over 65, disabled, out of your area during the voting period, or in jail). My son and husband voted early, but it took less than 20 minutes for each one. In Texas we had three weeks of early voting, and the lines were much more manageable after week one. So some of these images may be because of Day 1 early voting eager beavers. Also, because of COVID it has been difficult to find poll workers (they're usually seniors, who this year are wisely staying home and safe). Still -- it IS ridiculously hard to vote in the US., particularly in Texas (we just got ranked hardest in the nation). Mail-in should be a thing everywhere, for everyone who wants to. I do think voter suppression tactics are a huge thing here.
My brother had to wait about 45 min, a friend took about 1.75 hours to vote, but the most I've ever had to take was about 15 min.
I had no idea till this election. I’m in Scotland and the polling stations are numerous in each area of the city I live in then which box you use at the station is allocated by the street you live in. I’ve never queued and usually pop in after work. My polling station is two streets from my home!
Jennifer Moir ?
That is crazy and unjust, but sadly not surprising. Like others, I haven’t waited more than 3 to 5 minutes, usually less and all I need with me is my ID.
I took me like 10 mins... We had like 2 weeks and many voting locations for each county.. I don't understand how people manage to find 10 hr lines...
Jovita A like
I think in some states that don’t have very many options for voting locations and some people aren’t able to drive further to get to a different one. Not sure. I did mail in ballot. it was my first year voting but usually here in Kentucky it’s like a 30 minute wait. I have a couple friends in bigger cities and one of them had to wait 3 hours another had to wait only an hour and half. I don’t really get it either.
Never took more than 5 mins to get in and out to vote, jeez this is crazy.
Voted twice since the pandemic began here in Germany; one per mail (because I was absent on election day) and once in person where I had to wait exactly 0 minutes.
voted on the 27th in glendale arizona I had longer wait for a parking spot than to vote. in out 30min max.
Scott Lloyd good
Scott Lloyd ?
I have not voted yet, casting my early vote this Saturday. But i have never waited longer then 10 minutes. I also never worried about being intimidated by armed malice based on my vote. But it just shows now more then ever it is important to get out there and make our voices heard.
This is awful! I've seen this in third world countries - usually when democracy is restored, but nowhere else. I have never had to queue to vote, ever! You go in, get your ballot, go to the booth and put your X then put it in the box and that's it. This must put off SO many people and those are probably all of the working people who don't have the time to take from work or get childcare. This must benefit the right wing HUGELY!
I was in and out within 7 minutes. I imagine these are very large cities. I mean we have like 5 voting places within a short drive where I am. Early voting means you can vote anywhere. If the lines are long drive to the next place.
Dana Dara good
In the Netherlands, if it's really busy, you might have to wait for like 5 to 10 minutes to have your ID checked but in general I'm out the door in like 5 minutes.
Ok, hours is crazy, but less than five mins??? Never had that happen
Canada- it was 5-10 mins for me never longer than 10mins
Tarah Henry lol
Tarah Henry like
Because this is EARLY VOTING, which is selected polling stations, not all of them, plus this year the lines are longer because they have to keep social distancing. On election day in a normal year there are not lines. This is fauxrage by political partisian people and morons.
In 2016, in the suburbs, I waited for 2.5 hours to vote on Election Day. You are either misinformed or being deliberately misleading. Not everyone can vote in minutes, and it has nothing to do with early voting or the pandemic.
Dave P easy
rasburyjam like
Yup, Canadian here and I have never spent more than ten minutes waiting.
Reese McMillan easy
Reese McMillan what
May an American explain to me, WHY exactly it takes so long and people have to wait in line? What do you do or not do that makes it so timeconsuming?
There are many reasons. 1. Not enough poll workers 2. The ballots can be (purposefully) complicated. 3. Doors locked at polling stations. 4. Power cords not supplied for voting machines. 5. Changing ID requirements/changes to voting laws that people didn't know 6. Not enough voting machines for the population. I'm sure there are other reasons, but those are the ones that I can think of.
In some states, if the governing party (repub or dem) feels like their governor, senate and local offices may lean to the other party (it's usually repubs who feel threatened by Dems winning their races),