UPDATE: Cambridge voting problem fixed, mayor says

Now there are comments about maybe this is a conspiracy, but no one sounded the bells and whistles in Cambridge about ACORN?

Go McCain!

no one in Cambridge should be allowed to vote.

I'm sure that the Cambridge lefties will find some way to blame this on (pick one: Bush, Republicans, McCain, Palin, Romney).

...city election officials alerted the state to the problem -- and provided a solution.
Yeah, it's called fraud.

...city election officials alerted the state to the problem -- and provided a solution.
Yeah, it's called fraud.

...city election officials alerted the state to the problem -- and provided a solution.
Yeah, it's called fraud.

my husbands name was not on the list in West Roxbury # 20 he argued with them because he had a card in hand stating that he was registered it said to bring it with you when you vote still they told him if he intended to vote he would have to go to his old neighborhood and they send him away - needless to say he was extremely pissed off. We have lived in this neighborhood for 3 years now and my name was on the list

They must be registered Republicans.

happened in lexington too!!!!

It is scary.....same thing happened to me in Lynn.
This was my first time voting in that city, my wife who I registered two months after myself was on the list but I wasn't. Go figure.
I stood, watched the guy seal my envelope and left the building not feeling confident of my vote reaching its correct destination.

Vote Yes on one... show your appreciation for the election officials who cannot get the simplest job right the first time, or the second time, etc.

I voted in Cambridge at 11:30 am and my name wasn't on the main list, which freaked me out, but it was quickly located on the supplemental list and I voted successfully.

I ran into similar problems in Maynard this morning. I first went to where I had voted in the primary--and was told that my voting place had been changed (to clear across town). No advance notification had been given of this change. Then, even though I had voted in the primary and had returned my census form as required, I was told that I was not on the voter list. After showing identification and signing a form, I was finally allowed to vote. Two other people in line near me had the same problem.

This is a non-story. Even the woman in the article said it added only about 10 minutes to her hour long wait. Sure it was a little inconvenient but it's not like they didn't fix the problem nor was it that much additional time to what she already had to wait.

I understand the frustration of things not going perfectly smoothly but if this is all it takes to ruffle some feathers then what will happen if there is a real problem some day?

Lets wake up and smell the coffee. Did you think that there would be no problems on this day. Just think about what happened the last time. The same old some old #####

Omigod, rich, white liberals had to wait 10 minutes! I hope they brought their Blackberrys. Look, if there is going to be such a thing as voter supression, it would probably happen in a contested state. Not the bluest of the blue. Voting in this state is such a foregone conclusion. I don't know why we bother. Other than that income tax question, which I could see going either way.

Someone at the Election Commission needs to resign for a screw-up this big and inexplicable on such an important day. (I say this as an Independent who has voted in the same place for three years, completed her census, voted Republican in the primary, and then was dropped from the rolls before being able to vote Democratic in the election.)

I got turned down to vote in Norwood. I voted last with an absentee ballot from Iraq, I was in the Army for 11 years. Because I was not in town when the census was done in early 2005 I was dropped, they had no problem collecting my taxes though.
I am a veteran and got turned down to vote. I upheld the laws of the land and dont get to vote. This is ridiculous.

Well, as long as all of the illegals were allowed to vote, that's what's most important. Right, Cambridge?

It happened to me at Graham & Parks School--where I have voted for the last 10 years.

Same has also been happening in Chelsea. My name was missing even though I've been voting in Chelsea since 2004 and most recently in the primary.

The same thing happened to me in West Medford this morning. I've been voting for several years (primary included) without issue and my roommates names were on the list but not mine.

They sent me to another election worker who had a differant list with my name. She asked for ID, had me fill out and sign a form, and gave me a ballot. I don't know if it was a provisional ballot but it looked the same as the others.

This is definitly annoying. The globe should follow up and find out how this problem was caused.

I was appauled to find out that the election officials never verify your identification to the name on their election voster sheet...it's amazing, they just took my word for it when I said my street address and name. There has to be a better system for validating this information.

This is so strange, because I voted 3 times at the same pollng place with the same name!

The same thing happened to me this morning at my polling place in Cambridge. I have voted there for 27 years. How can I be sure that my vote will be counted?
Voting is our fundamental right and responsibility as citizens. Maybe the commentators who think it is amusing should think a little deeper.

I voted in Cambridge, then Lexington, then Lynn and Norwood, I don’t see why others are having so much trouble

This is sick. Voter disenfranchisement. We call ourselves a democracy?????People rise up. You have the right to vote. FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS!!!!! DO NOT ACCEPT THIS. They will stop at nothing to prevent OBAMA from being elected. Never forget FLORIDA in 2000. Now this is happening in MA?

As a combat veteran, I can say this, I would not leave the polls until it was corrected or I was arrested. I earned this right.

The People Republic allows voting?? Who knew?

Why are the McCain supporters' comments so ignorant? is this representative of all his supporters? I hope not, but I fear it's so.

I find it troubling that voters were told to come back later instead of being allowed to fill in provisional ballots. Everyone who was turned away, please go back -- I know it's colossally inconvenient, but please make your voices heard.

On a brighter note, I recently moved from one Cambridge precinct to another. I re-registered on 5 October via mail, and received an official letter confirming that I was re-enrolled in my new precinct. And when I showed up to vote today at the Russell Sr. Center in Ward 10-1, my name was indeed on the list. So they didn't get everything wrong.

it also happened in everett 3 people before me were told they were not on the roster???/ this sounds like the dark ages, honestly what is going on in this country we still have such a flawed system it makes you wonder!!

I remember the same thing happening in Lynn years ago - anyone not in the 'right' party found their name was not on the poll entry list - but interestingly it was on the 'exit' list as at the time you were checked in and out of voting.
Only reason I got to vote was I rasied a ruckus and two more people in line with me also got to vote because I was so adamant that i was registered.
No way of knowing how many people were denied their right to vote due to dirty politics the rest of the day!

Doesn't suprise me at all!!!! Just the city we live in. Mant flaws in this city that sooner or later will have to come out.

I was turned away after 2 hours in line in Boston despite receiving mailed confirmation that my registration update reflecting my move from one part of the city to another had been received. You can believe I am digging through my files when I get home tonight.
My only solution is to go to my former polling station to vote.
I'm 7 months pregnant, AND I have to work at some point today. There is no way I can stand for 2 more hours today.

I was at that exact precinct (Churchill Ave) and was told that my name was not on the list, been there for the last 30+ years of my voting life (other family members were onthe list). I was told to move to another line inside that was growing faster than the 'listed' voters. They had someone a cell phone trying to reach the election office. Ya right busy...busy.. busy..After 1 1/2 hours I was told to come back tonight or make out a ballot that they would put my name on and leave in a pile on the chair until verification that I was on the list. HHMMM...what's wrong with this picture...

I won't be able to get back before the polls close so I can't vote! But they sure know how to collect taxes...Hope the 'human' error is fired!

I sent in a change of address so I could vote where I live now, Brookline, instead of my old town, *well* within the deadline. I found out yesterday (since I never got my confirmation), some uber-genius had me registered as living in the NORTH END! They got my boyfriend's address correct and he got to vote a block away from our house. So, lesson learned, you can send in your registration/change of address at the same time to the same election commission, and somehow, they'll screw it up. I was beyond pissed off that I had to take an extra 2 and a half hours (riding all the way there and then to work) to go vote this morning! Can't anyone read? check a zip code?!

I find it odd to see all of the anti-Cambridge posts here. What's your beef with Cambridge? It's a regular city with people and communities, just like yours. It's so easy for you to slander Cambridge residents by posting on a web site where you can remain nameless and faceless, isn't it. I feel bad for you, having to live with yourselves and all of that anger. Maybe you should get a peaceful hobby and do something positive with your energy.

To make things easier on election day, everyone over the age of 18 in Cambridge should just be counted as an automatic vote for the most liberal choices available, and the 9 or so people who want to vote conservative should just have to op out or something. And yeah... I agree with comment about how the rich, white liberals had to wait a whole extra 10 minutes... Cry me a river.

Laura Gamel is an American hero. Her husband is too. Thank god we have people like the Gamel's in this crazy mixed-up world.

Thanks for voting yes on question #2.

Gerry

In New Hampshire you don't have to pre-register so if you are not registered, you can just register again and vote. Nobody complains of fraud here. Why doesn't everyone do it this way?

Many, many people experienced this at my polling place at Putnam Gardens, a public housing project in Cambridge. Most of the voters whose registration had disappeared had lived in the neighborhood for 15-30 years. And to rebut AndyFrank's comment, most of the people in line weren't 'rich white liberals' but hard-working folks of all races who got up early to vote before they went to work. And it really doesn't matter who was disenfranchised here - the fact that is happened to anyone is cause for alarm. Everyone has a right to vote, especially when they've taken all the right steps to get their name on the roster! MA needs to figure out what the hell happened here and get it fixed!

I had the same problem at the Morse School in Cambridge this morning at 7:00 a.m. plus an additional problem. When my name was not on the list, and the election workers were unable to get through to the Election Commission, I was given a partial ballot, not a provisional ballot. The partial ballot included the candidates for President and US Senate and the three ballot questions, not US Representative and Massachusetts Senator and Representative. I notified the Election Commission of this second problem at 10:30 when I finally got through on their phone lines. There were 6-8 other individuals who received the wrong ballot along with me.

How about the fact that the secret ballot no longer exists. Poll workers in Roslindale basically took the ballot out of the cardboard folder intended to hide your vite, examined it, then put it in the machine for you. I thought we were suppose to cast the ballots.

Does anyone really think this will matter? If you are a Democrat you win in Cambridge. They could probably vote by voice call in that place.

This level of inefficiency at a time when absolute organization is expected is inexcusable.

happened to me in brookline. waited an hour and a half to find i was actually registered at another precinct (even tho my sister and I sent the same register card on the same day from the same address and she was registered there). waited another hour and a half at the other precinct to find out that i really wasnt registered at all. filled out a provisional. if my vote doesnt end up counting can i have my tax money back please? thank you.

This happened to our friend 8 years ago! They didn't have his name after voting in the primary too! However, he could have just given them the name of one of the 12 individuals listed as "living in our apartment at the time" and registered to vote. If anyone desires to vote in Cambridge, just give them a name -- an apartment -- a street address close to Harvard -- and chances are better than not that you will get to vote.

SALUTE #17!!!welcome back and thank you for this day... must be very frustrating!

#18 unnecessary comment! Were you (parents)able to vote when you came here illegaly? Say what....you're not an alien...if you're not a NATIVE AMERICAN...then you are just what you are discriminating against.

I voted in Cambridge W4 P1 and the 3 people in front of me and the lady behind me all had the same problem. But they had an election official on the phone verifying their names to the master list, and all 4 were handed real ballots. Funny thing is, I thought I was going to have a hard time, as I moved recently and registered to vote on the very last day allowed. But my name was on the list, no harm, no foul. .

can you believe some of these morons that post on here? i have an idea once Obama get elected today you can all leave the country, obviously you believe in love it or leave it .

This happened to me as well, also at Ward 11, Precinct 3 in North Cambridge. My husband and son were on the list; I wasn't, even though we turned the census form in together and I voted in the primary. There were many issues involved with this mix-up: First, the "provisional ballots" at this polling station were NOT provisional ballots; the workers were giving regular ballots to those of us not on the roll and WRITING OUR NAMES ACROSS THE TOP IN BLACK MAGIC MARKER. So much for the law. Second, when we returned our ballots they simply set them on the table in view of everyone, and liable to be misplaced. Then they were writing our names in a notebook, complete with handwriting errors.

The same thing happened to me in Somerville. You have to wonder what kind of fairnees there is if so many people are not allowed to vote.

I don't know why there is such a fuss. You don't have to show ID to vote here. Just pick a name and address of a neighbor and vote. It is as easy as that. It is more diffcult to buy beer here than it is to vote. Does that make sense?

Polspr, this really isn't a "non story" since it means much more than a 10-minute wait. Those who had to cast a provisional ballot (like I did, upon discovering my name inexplicably missing from the list at my polling place) won't have their ballots counted until November 14, when the election committee meets to determine the eligibility of those casting provisional ballots.

Some tech erred on a query for a report. Like ACORN it's a non issue. This has not stopped anyone from voting. Get real folks. Hopefully these posts will be the last of the nasty GOP partisians. After today the dogmatic GOP/Bush/Cheney/Roveian blight will be lifted and we can get on tract under Obama to a unified nation dealing with improving our future from the mess we are currently in.
AR.
Cantibridgian

This is unfortunate and frustrating for those who experienced. Earlier in the year I married and changed my name. I had a LOT of issues with Boston City Hall due to my name change (on a marriage certificate that they issued). It seemed I gained an entirely new identity that they just could not sort out. Therefore, prior to this election I checked my voting status (available online). I did this because I feared there could be an issue but it sounds as if it is a good practice in general. It will also tell you your assigned polling place which would have address the comment regarding a changed location. MA allows provisional ballots but some states do not. I voted several years ago in PA ( a swing state at the time). My information was changed via Motor Voter (or so I thought). I came to learn that the DMV never submitted my change and I was registered to vote in a district five hours away. Even though this was a widespread known problem, I was not permitted to vote at all. It could be worse.

Just because your name is not on a list and they have to double check does not mean that the election is scary or there is a conspiracy. Things happen, get over it. I think we should declare martial law because queen Laura Gamel had to wait an extra 10 minutes. And why would The Globe be calling the election committee on ELECTION DAY about some lady's 10 minute delay? Idiotic! This is just another example of the Wussification of America and even more so Massachusetts. It is truly a sad day for America. So much for land of the free and home of the brave. We are truly becoming France II.

To L. Cooper

I really, really, really, really hope you are kidding! If not you are the worst kind of person I can possibly imagine.

What is wrong with you people. Stop the bitterness. Get a life.
Anyone who was turned away should be angry. They are doing the right thing and look what happens. However, it';s been corrected and we are all lucky to be living in America. although I think AndyFrank should move to a red state. LOL !

I'm neither rich, nor white and the same thing happened to me.... Sure they fixed it later but it WAS frustrating for those who were in line at 6:45am... and for me it was an HOUR waiting on the bleachers with 25-30 others while the grandma and grandpa running the show tried unsuccessfully to contact the election commission to verify our names. Unfortunately some people had to leave before they could straighten things out.

Yeah, yeah it wasn't voter suppression, but people would still like to vote even though some would imply that they "don't count"

Boooooo Hoooooooo.
Useless Cambridge drama queens.

I voted this morning and am going back to vote again in the evening.

OH NO!! thats one less left wing nut liberal pony tail who cant vote for "change". What next, they don't have access to their Volvo dealership, or the local coffee shop?
Obombya has won MA even without the kooky Cambridge vote....who cares?

it happened to my husband in cambridge, graham and parks. we're democrats.

Yeh I was turned away this morning, I think probably because I speak English! If you don't want to learn English, don't want to work & get housing handed to you then come to cambridge!!!

It was simple human error. Cambridge is 90%+ Democrat in its administration; 80%+ Democrat in its voters. The Presidential vote in Massachusetts is a foregone conclusion, Cambridge especially so. None of the administrators have any incentive to disenfranchise any voters. Unless this was about Question 1......

Went to my polling place and got arrested as an illegal immigrant, but not before I voted twice.

God Bless America!

This happened to me and my neighbor this morning in Cambridge Ward 9 precinct 3. Disappointing and unacceptable. These are the basics of democracy and we should really be getting this right.

And by the way, not everyone in Cambridge is liberal, rich and White (response to post number 15 by Andy Frank).

L Cooper......I am a McCain fan, however your racist, ignorant views make us all look bad. I am judging by your extremely poor spelling and grammar that you are clearly a misplaced country bumpkin. That attitude might work down in the south where it is still acceptable to marry your sister, but up here where the "civilized folk" live......we dont tolerate it.
Might I suggest you use the tax money saved on Question 1 to buy yourself a "speak and spell".

I TRIED REGISTERING AS A *REPUBLICAN* IN THIS GODFORSAKEN CITY AND WAS TOLD "OH I'M SORRY IT WAS POSTMARKED TOO LATE!!!" I SPOKE WITH THE CAMBRIDGE ELECTION COMMISSION OFFICE AND INFORMED THEM THAT MY PROCRASTINATOR OF A BOYFRIEND, WHO IS A REGISTERED *INDEPENDENT* SENT HIS REGISTRATION FORM IN *WEEKS* AFTER MINE WAS IN THE MAIL. FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS!! ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE LIKE CAMBRIDGE... LUCKILY I HAVE CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT THIS ELECTION AND HOPEFULLY THIS COUNTRY, AND HE WILL BE VOTING FOR PRESIDENT MCCAIN ANYWAY! MASSACHUSETTS HAS BEEN CRUEL TO ME IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REVOKE THE MANY MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS I PAID TO THIS STATE IN MY QUARTERLY TAXES... LETS ALL MOVE TO NH.

Cambridge needs poll worker help especially with a predicted heavy voter turn out as well as getting lists straight. Continuous improvement processes would help...c'mon Cambridge, you're a lot better than this.

What do you expect out of a bunch of whiney Red Sox fans?

So true!!! The government never screws up in YOUR favor, Braintree said I hadn't paid my tax fee four years ago, I don't keep track four years ago for something like that, how can I prove it??

Clearly, they should postpone the election until this mess is figured out.

Terrible, just terrible

I know its important to vote, but there are over 3 million voters in Mass; people move, people change parties, lists get errors people are registrars are human. The talk of voter conspiracy issues in this state are amusing to say the least. The Democrats all win by 20% plus. If there are a total of 3000 voter registration problems its less than 0.3% I don't think it's an attempt to take the election from anyone, but I understand it is personally upsetting.

Cambridge Ward 5 Precinct 3: had my voter registration card in hand (voted here in every election for the past 5 years). but was not on the list. Guy behind me had same problem--although his ex-roommate who hadn't lived in Cambridge for 2 years, WAS registered. Woman in back of him has voted there for the past 32 years; same problem. Overwhelmed/untrained volunteers no help. When I demanded to speak to the person in charge, she told me to complain to the Election Commission. When I refused, she brought a cop over to intimidate me into silence or submission. I had to fight for my actual ballot because they wanted to give me a provisional one or a partial one. I am not optimistic that this election will be properly administered on any level..

We

The cherry-picking liberal employees from Cambridge did their part to eliminate ANY choice or deviation from B. Hussein Obama in this election. Thanks for IGNORING my republican registration and floating my boyfriend and my roommates independent votes to the top of the pile!! "it didn't get there in time" is total bull... THAT IS SO VERY UNAMERICAN.

GET OUT THERE AND VOTE FOR MCCAIN - TAKE AMERICA BACK!!

I was not listed in Cambridge Ward 5, Precinct 1 - apparently I was on the master list at Commission but not on the list (old or 'new') at my polling place on Erie St.

The explanation I was given is it was "because [I'm] registered Libertarian." Wonder what that human error was? "SELECT * WHERE PartyReg IN ("R","U","D","I")" ?

Sounds like disenfranchisement through mass incompetence to me. Pretty disgusting.

To the comment about provisional ballots: Only about 2 in 3 provisional ballots are counted, nationwide, so they are in no way equivalent to non-provisional ballots. How much faith would you have in our government to verify yours?

Jeez what a paranoid group of people this is! I can understand being ticked off at the inconvenience and wasted time because somebody didn't do their job properly somewhere along the line. But to think this is a conspiracy of some sort? There are over 4 million people registered to vote in Massachusetts. Mistakes happen. The world isn't out to get you. Don't take it out on the old people who volunteer to work at the polls.

Such a joke. I voted and they didnt even cross my name off the list. Maybe its because I am a registered Democrat! YAY! I made up for it though voting YES on question 1 twice!

Why don't they ask for IDs when we vote? I could have sent in an illegal immigrant and had them vote for me and talk about lack of privacy. Anyone in that room could've read my ballot before I put it in the machine (if I put it in correctly, there was no one to help)

HELLO Cambridge is not part of Massachusetts, Thank God

I was one whose name was not on the list. I was given a "provisional ballot" after they wrote down my name and address. Now I have 2 questions:

1. If it turned out that I was not on the master list (as I should be) how would they know which ballot was mine to remove it?

2. My provisional ballot did not have places to vote for a number of races: I only got to vote for president, senator and questions 1, 2 and 3.

Clearly things could be better, not just with voting but overall the functionality of governement. Maybe all the people who see this as a problem should look at the bigger picture? Think about who you are electing or more importantly re-electing. If people truly want change, then say so with your vote. I personally did not vote for a single incumbent this year.

>The People Republic allows voting?? Who knew?
They vote in Cambridge but it's a one party system.

Ain't it the truth, Willie!

Some tech erred on a query for a report. Like ACORN it's a non issue. This has not stopped anyone from voting. Get real folks. Hopefully these posts will be the last of the nasty GOP partisians. After today the dogmatic GOP/Bush/Cheney/Roveian blight will be lifted and we can get on tract under Obama to a unified nation dealing with improving our future from the mess we are currently in.
AR.
Cantibridgian

The right to a secret ballot doesn't exist Peabody either. They don't even bother with the privacy sleeves. That way it saves the noisy biddies the time and extra work of having to twist and turn and trying to get my ballot out of my hands to see whom I voted for.

Look at all the nasty comments my city is producing! Who knew so many conservatives read The Globe?

People that are saying this is not a big deal do not know what it is like to be told that you can not vote when you show up on election day. It was more than a 10 min delay for me in Cambridge this morning. It was pure chaos and I was the first person that had to fill out a provisional ballot at my ward and there was NO process in place. People said that it "MAY" be counted and acted as if it were a waste of time. An official told me that they had recently learned that there was a problem with the list but they were acting as if I was trying to pull one over on them. Many people were storming out because no one could help them so there are a lot of votes that will go uncounted and YES IT IS A BIG DEAL.

This wasn't about "needing to wait for ten minutes," it was about being told our only choice was to file provisional ballots EVEN IF we had our official registration confirmations in hand, as I did. It's inaccurate to say it's a moot point since Obama will win in Massachusetts - many of us really, really wanted to be part of that history-making moment - and besides, he was not the only issue on the ballot. This isn't about us saying it's some massive conspiracy, it's about being disenfranchised for ANY reason. And for those of you who have made the "rich, white liberals" comments - please reread Liz's comment (#41). That was my polling place too, and she has it exactly right.

For the record, the election official and the cop at Putnam Gardens were both awesome. It was the absence of attention from the Electoral Commission of Cambridge once the problem was discovered that really upset me.

i voted republican AND libertarian when i lived in cambridge.

Nasty comments indeed. Everyone U.S. citizen has the right to vote. I was one of the voters turned away this morning and was worried I would not be allowed to vote. Mistakes happen and everything worked out, but it was scary to think I might not have the opportunity to vote.

you are SHOCKED that there are irregularities?

it's not a conspiracy, folks, it's just what you get when we have a decentralized system run by part time people . . .that kind of setup ALWAYS introduces error into the system

sheesh, what a bunch of whining paranoiacs

#57, get off the Globe's back. I telephoned them at 8:00 this morning after lining up at W4P1 at 6:50, being turned away at 7:15, and joining a group of 5 people that grew to nearly 20 by 8:00. Almost everyone was very polite to the election official there: we discovered that while the "table" lists didn't have our names, the "outside posted" list did and shared this with him. He called the Election Commission, and they only offered provisional ballots or the possibility that the problem might be fixed by the afternoon. So I called the Globe and the local weekly. Then I went to work. I just got back from voting. If the press calling the city helped focus the city's energy, good for the Globe.

The Pepole's Republic of Cambridge votes on the same day as the United States?

If everyone has a problem with the Poll workers, then volunteer your time to do it. Maybe then, you will see it can be a hectic day and they are doing there best with what they have been given.

Take Cambridge out of Massachusetts and it might as well be Kansas. Apparently there are some who would prefer it that way.

Most people in Cambridge vote, pay taxes, work, serve in the military,
educate their children, care for the elderly ,and care a lot about the US.,just like every other city or town in America. Maybe everyone who believes we are un-American should come and spend some time here instead of posting nasty notes!
I wonder why our real estate prices are going up while most of the country's are going down!

How can one consider taking America back as a vote for McCain? McCain will just be another puppet of the Republican Party, which is exactly what we have right now. So just say it, you LOVE the way things are right now... You're confident your 401K is secure, you're confident social security will be there when you retire, you're confident if you get sick your health insurance will cover whatever treatments you need... these people sound delusional and ignorant! McCain proved by every speach he gave prior to today that he has shaken the McCain of old and is embrassing Republican agenda... for the love of God, Cheney supports him... Really????

"I'm sure that the Cambridge lefties will find some way to blame this on (pick one: Bush, Republicans, McCain, Palin, Romney)." --Dave P

Dave, does it embarrass you to feel "sure" of something you just made up? Or is that how you arrive at all your beliefs?

You humans are such trash !

On my home planet of electon voting goes off without a hitch because we only vote fot Thralsh the terrible !!

Stupid Earthlings !

Hey "girl of the burbs," I can't wait to invest my money in our economy, I just wish I was making more to put in!! I have full faith in how my 401(k) regardless of who our president is. This is because our economy will repair itself (as long as we keep regulation out of there! We will have 40 percent growth next year, you just wait and watch - and it wont be because of ANY president). Its all a big CYCLE. And the last thing we need is a big spender!! That would be a FATAL mistake. We did not need any bailout, and fortunately because I am an intelligent human being, I will work hard and never need this useless social security. Luckily social security is our one and only regressive (yay!) tax. And we don't need to contribute money to these corrupt social programs. Handouts handouts socialism communism.... its a big downward spiral.

Tell me FIVE things you know about Dick Cheney (and him getting shot while hunting doesn't count).

Also, I think its pretty sad that most of the people that are entering things on this board about Cambridge leaving them off the voter list are republicans. Coincidence? I think not. We have a scandal on our hands, folks, and I have let the secretary of state know it!

OK! Many of you responders are taking the bait!

One of the unfortunate results of the internet is that the new Republican party supporters (uneducated, right wing, low paid as opposed to the old GOP of wealth and elitism) unleash their venom in places like the Globe, which of course makes the Globe look more like the Herald. Don't worry; these hate mongers put these things on line, frequently while they are supposed to be working, because they like to be anonymous but they don't vote. Many of them are just the victims of no education, and I mean NO.

I am confused, in last 2 elections it was the Republicans that had all those silver haired election volunteers in their pockets. Now it sounds like Obama and his election machine has bought them and now has them in his pocket. These election volunteers are very similar to the Afgan warlords who took the US's money then switched sides when the Taliban reorganized. Should we be afraid that the Taliban and Al -Qaida will be setting up a network of silver haired election volunteer terrorist cells? I will never look at a Senior Citizen's drop in center the same way again. Give it up people, it is pure ineptness, not some vast left wing or right wng conspiracy. It the same ineptness when you go to the registry

I stood in line at Putnam Gardens in Cambridge this morning to vote (6:45am). Shortly after the polls opened an angry man was escorted out by a police officer. I didn't think anything of it, but I could imagine how frustrating it would be to know you are eligible to vote but not be allowed to because of a snafu.

On another note, there was a discernible feeling of optimism in the air. I felt emotional and couldn't quite figure out why. I think the long line outside was a real indicator of the excitement many people feel, I can only imagine the drama in a battleground state....

So the right wing complains that some people were cheating the system to make (fake) extra bucks at ACORN by trying to sign up fake names of people who will never vote. But when actual registered voters have trouble, the right supports disenfranchising them because of their presumed political views. How American is that?

Actually, I too saw the police officer and an angry guy, but from where I stood it looked like the officer knew him, and was calling him by name and following him out of the precinct, not escorting him, and was trying to get him to calm down and cast at least a provisional ballot. The cop didn't have to do that, but he did. I did see him later, in our group of 20 waiting in the hall, when they were explaining about the provisional ballots, so I think that the cop succeeded in calming him down. Unless we're talking about two different angry guys--there was certainly enough frustration to go around! :) I want to echo what #93 "provisionally yours" said, that the cop and the election official were both great.

If the technology used to manage our bank accounts via ATMs was this unreliable, people would be up in arms. Why do we even continue to use such an antiquated system? In what other venue would people accept standing in line for hours to do something as simple as transmitting a tiny bit of data? Other organizations manage to authenticate us to transact our business, why not the government? BTW, I am a Cambridge resident who votes Libertarian whenever possible. So much for stereotypes.

hmmm . . I voted for McCain and Beatty 4 times at three different polling stations . . . no problem here!!

Ward 11, Precinct 3 - Burns Apartments, 50 Churchill Avenue - Names of many registered voters did not appear on list. While trying to verify status, ballots distributed for completion, then poll worker took the completed ballots- put then on a chair - unattended - obviously not concerned about privacy issues - said it may not be resolved until at least 8 PM. Didn't seem too concerned. If one unregistered voter had completed a ballot that was placed in the pile of at least 30 (by 8:15 a.m.), poll workers would not know which ballot it was. Poll workers did not place each ballot in an individual, sealed envelope with the name of individual voter on the outside of each envelope while waiting for verification of registration status. The names in question appeared on the list hanging outside the polling location but no one took the initiative to look and compare. Extremely disappointing. Highly inefficient.

Cantabrigian - perhaps you didn't read the article? The only people mentioned in the article were all able to cast ballots with no mention of "provisional". While I will admit the situation is frustrating, in the grand scheme of things that could have gone wrong it's really not that significant. Maybe you didn't hear that people were using intimidation to block people from entering polling locations in Philadelphia. The expectation that a day anticipated to have a record-breaking number of people voting would have no snafus is just silly. Based on the article the situation was handled reasonably well. I hope you read the ballot when you voted better than you read this article.