Election Day Experiences, 2008

I worked as an “exit poller” at Jones Middle School in Upper Arlington. This is an old middle school in the heart of the Columbus suburb. The “hall of fame” in the School’s entrance includes alumni such as Jack Nicklaus (the golfing great) and Sam Devine, a conservative Central Ohio Republican congressman who held the seat for most of his adult life.

First and foremost, thank you for your persistence, patience and dedication yesterday.

With the exception of a few glitches early on, Election Day was surprisingly tame compared to recent years. Here's a link to some Columbus Dispatch coverage of voting issues.

While the headline and lead are congratulatory, deeper in the article there are many of the same observations and concerns Video the Vote documented as well. Confusion over paper versus provisional ballots and early voting as opposed to absentee demonstrate the need for clearer communication at all levels of the voting process. Poll worker training, independent voter registration and increased media coverage leading up to Election Day did turn out voters in greater numbers, but still not in the quantities anticipated. Further, the high number of provisional ballots, especially in urban areas, suggests opportunities for improvement.