Bike the Vote!

[Bad JuJu]

I just read this in the Florida Bicycling Association's newsletter, and it seems like a great idea:
In less than two weeks, you will have an opportunity to vote. I know that your voting place is in your neighborhood so I would like to encourage you to exercise your rights and exercise while doing it. The MTV crowd talks about their "rock the vote" effort, I will call mine "walk or bike the vote!" If they can "run" for the office we can walk or bike to put them there.
(From Tim Lane, Iowa Department of Health, author of the daily FITNET)

This is a great idea in general, but especially for folks like me who generally live too far away from work, school, grocery shopping to ride their bikes there (my nearest grocery store is 11 dangerous miles away, and work is twice as far). I can't wait to ride my bike to the local polling place.

I also think it would be good for other voters to see a bunch of cyclists showing up--on their bikes--to vote, kind of a practical demonstration of "I ride a bike, and I vote."

[light_sabe_r]

Bicycle QLD suggested we do that over here for our State Parliament elections a few months ago. (COMPULSARY voting)

The even went a step further and Suggested that if you didn't know who to vote for, vote for the political party who offer to mind your bike while you voted.

[Bad JuJu]

vote for the political party who offer to mind your bike while you voted.
They'd get my vote.:D

[BeeLady]

Great idea juju - will ride my bike to my polling site.:)

[DebW]

I've done that. But the polling place is in a gymnasium where I can't walk on the pretty wood floor in my cleats. So I have to vote in my socks.

[Fredwina]

Great idea, but what about those of us who are "Permanent Absentees" (Califronian for Voting by mail?) :)

[spokewench]

Bike your vote to the post office!

I always, or almost always, bike my vote - since the polling place is on my way to work on my bike

[pooks]

I love this idea. The only thing is, I was planning on voting early so that I could use a paper ballot. Oh well, I can still bike the vote! (I just hope they have a place to lock up my bike once I get there!)

[Bikingmomof3]

An excellent idea. :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Our polling place is right where we bike past almost every day anyway, so we will most certainly be biking to vote, unless it is pouring rain that day or icey snow. If the weather is awful that day, we'll just walk down into town to vote and back. We rarely use a car to go to town anymore (1 1/2 miles round trip)- only if bad rain or when we have lots of stuff to buy or big boxes to mail, etc. This time last year we almost always would drive into town. Now that's progress! :)

[mimitabby]

I was in the democratic caucus in the 2004 election. I was the only person who rode a bike to that meeting.
there were HUNDREDS there and it was a lovely day too.

I put my ballot in the outgoing mail, so my bike didn't have anything to do with it.

[BeeLady]

JuJu = I biked to vote by accident! Was only returning library books and the early voting was at the library - so I took my turn in line and voted.

The parking lot was a total and complete mess with all the cars and parking problems. One lady was in her car screaming "Go, gawdda**it, just go" to all the cars around her. Was quite funny. I had easy parking and no probs. Thanks for reminding us all.

[mtkitchn]

I rode my bike to my polling place for the primary, but it's only about a half mile away. I plan to do it again on Tuesday! The floor is kind of slippery in cleats, but I didn't fall down last time and I parked my bike inside. It might be more crowded for the main election, though.
I'd sure like to see more bikes out, especially since it will be in the low 80s here that day!!!

[Trek420]

Thought this would be a good place to post if you know any issues that we hope will pass (benefit to cycling)

http://friendsofsonomacounty.org/index.htm

Now you know you all want cycling trails in Sonoma County, ya' know you want to ride the wine country :cool:

and this one:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=8904&highlight=alameda

[Dianyla]

Good grief, at the rate our rain is falling I think I'll be better off on my bike than rotting in traffic!

http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=5641727

[spokewench]

I'm done feeling all good about myself - Rode to work today in nice balmy 30 degree weather and on the way in I voted. I exercised my vote in more than one way!

[KnottedYet]

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!

I don't care which way you vote, just get out and VOTE!!!

[Trek420]

It will be interesting to read results. If any of you who have local issues that effect bikes, how'll it turn out?

[Bluetree]

I biked to vote! At the end of a 20-mile ride I rolled past all the frustrated people in cars looking for a parking space (trying not to feel TOO smug) and rode right up to the volunteer pollsters. Quick and easy.
My helmet is now sporting the I VOTED sticker! :p

[Bad JuJu]

I Biked the Vote today too! It was a little drizzly, but I suited up and went anyway--no great expedition--it's only about 5 miles away. Still, the folks in the parking lot seemed unable to resist staring--hah! And that reaction was only exceeded by the people inside the building--I guess they've never seen someone come in to vote in tights and cycling helmet. But NOW they have. :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yeah, I took my biking helmet into the voting booth with me. :)

[Haudlady]

I am going to ride to vote this afternoon (DH was very surprised when I mentioned this to him!)... it's only about 12 miles round trip, but there are some good hills on that road! I haven't been brave enough to try that particular route yet, so this will prove a good incentive!

The skies are very gray, so I am hoping that I won't get wet!

Ah well... some say that politics are all wet anyway. :rolleyes:

[Trek420]

Bump. It's still dark early here so I'm taking a half day off this Super Tuesday. If the weather's not abysmal I'll ride to work then bike to vote. If it is abysmal I'll still bike to vote once back home, the polling place is only a couple blocks from here.

I don't care who or what you vote for (well, I kinda do) but just VOTE

[KnottedYet]

Our primary is a while yet.

I'll likely bike or walk, this one isn't being done by mail-in ballot, which bugs me. (I don't like the Diebold machines. I don't trust them. I want a paper ballot! In one of our Diebold-using counties here in WA, 104% of registered voters voted for one particular candidate last election. Hmmmm.)

VOTE VOTE VOTE, even though your vote won't count cuz the election is rigged!

[Trek420]

104% ;) Wow, that's impressive. Way to get the vote out, unidentified candidate ;) :rolleyes: