• Lemdee@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Imagine my shock of the voting process when moving from Texas to Oregon. From pulling teeth to vote to getting it delivered on a silver platter. It feels so unconstitutional down there.

      • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        Funny I lived in Texas for a while and had no problem voting. In fact I found it quite pleasant as my polling station was like a 5 minute walk from my house. Granted, I lived in a fairly affluent area which certainly gaffs the scale, but I’m curious as to what you’re experienced was.

        • aodhsishaj@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Without giving too much away, how racially diverse would you say the folk were at your local polling station. And what kinda neighborhood did you cast your vote in?

          I voted in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Beaumont, Garland, and Amarillo. Not all in the same year of course but over the course of a decade. And I’ll tell you, not every polling place is staffed the same. I waited 5 hours to walk into a church lobby with only 3 polling staff and 8 poll booths for what looked like hundreds of folk. And I waited a half hour to vote in a gymnasium that might as well have been a straw poll for how it had so many staff and more polling booths than I could count.

          Some sources for those outside of the Lone Star state

          https://www.aclutx.org/en/news/5-ways-texas-suppresses-vote-and-how-make-your-vote-count

          https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/30/opinions/texas-ominous-voter-suppression-obeidallah/index.html

          https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2020/2020/10/28/384854/voter-suppression-blunts-historic-turnout-in-texas/

          • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            I don’t recall really thinking about the racial makeup of the polling station, but certainly my zip code is pretty racially diverse, which white people just making up the majority. But again, a relatively wealthy area so much of that diversity was not economic.

            But it was a gym, it had a reasonable about of polling booths, and I waited only a brief time. Each time I went to vote. My biggest complaint about voting in Texas is the overwhelming number of things that are up for elections.

        • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I lived in Texas for a while and had no problem voting.

          found it quite pleasant as my polling station was like a 5 minute walk from my house

          Hmmm, wonder why…

          I lived in a fairly affluent area

          Well, that twist was entirely expected.

          • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            The poster made the claim like it was a statement of fact for all of texas, I explained how my experience was different, even giving reasons why that might be the case, and you still felt the need to be a douche about it.

            Amazing.

            • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Pointing out that I’m unsurprised that you’re able to vote easily because you’re an affluent area doesn’t make me a douche. The fact that you reacted like that because I pointed out the obvious that makes your experience the exception to the rule means you should probably be pointing that accusation inwards friend.

              Maybe don’t be so sensitive and hostile just because you’re one of the lucky ones?

              • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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                4 months ago

                Pointing out that I’m unsurprised that you’re able to vote easily because you’re an affluent area doesn’t make me a douche.

                Agreed. It wasn’t that you pointed it out, it was how you pointed it out. Or do you really not realize how your sarcasm comes off as douchy?

                I pointed out the obvious

                Lol. The whole point of me bringing it up was the point out this might explain it. I even explicitly said it probably gaffs the scale. You didn’t point it out, I did.

                Maybe don’t be so sensitive and hostile just because you’re one of the lucky ones?

                I think you’re inadvertently revealing what the issue is here: you’re being hostile to me because you think I’m lucky.

                • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
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                  4 months ago

                  I think you’re inadvertently revealing what the issue is here: you’re being hostile to me because you think I’m lucky.

                  If you think I’m being hostile, you’re definitely too sensitive to your privilege.

                  • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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                    4 months ago

                    So, you really don’t realize how your first post, dripping with sarcasm, was a douchy response. I figured you were just an asshole, but apparently you just are socially inept. My bad.

        • Triasha@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I’ve never waited more than 20 mins to vote, and never more than 5 on early voting.

          I live in a big city. It could be better, but not much better.