We’re going to do some open threads pretty soon for all of our Seattle readers to report on their polling place experiences, but until then, some letters from our soggy city:

6:45 am at Northgate - line going out the door already. 7:05 in the voting room - all booths full, lines for booths three people deep. Never thought I’d want to take a picture of me and a ballot before. I wish I had volunteered to work at a polling place, I want to be around that kind of vibe all day long! Don’t care if you post this - just wanted to say that I love the letters you are putting up.

Thanks.
Anya Illes

Send me a letter about your voting experience here.

Crazy lines at First Covenant Church. Voted anyway.

I arrived at 6:55, and was about 40th in line when the polls at the Greenwood Christian Church opened at 7am. Our poll workers were immediately overwhelmed, but all us voters worked together to make the lines run smoothly and help everyone figure out where they needed to go. There was lots of friendly chatting among neighbors, and discussion of going to get free coffee/donuts/ice cream later. (No one mentioned the free vibes…) Voting took about 30 minutes, which didn’t seem too bad. I’m betting it’s going to get crazier as the day goes on… I was shocked to find out that our poll workers are all doing full-day shifts. I don’t know how they’re going to survive. I’m so impressed by all those people donating such a huge chunk of their time to facilitate our democratic process.

- Lindsey

I was at Coe Elementary, my polling place, 15 minutes before it opened. I was 2nd in line, but by 7am there were 50-70 people in line. I couldn’t believe how calm and orderly and… *usual* everyone was—I was just buzzing with excitement myself.

I was out the door by 7.10, and in to work on the eastside before 7.45. Couldn’t believe it—I had warned someone I had a meeting with at 9am that I might be late because of lines at the polls.

As I drove across 520, John in the Morning on KEXP was pumping out a tight political set. When he spun “Fight the Power”, I put the windows down (in the rain) and just blasted it, headbanging and singing along with the biggest grin on my face. What a day.

Dave
Seattle