Do you take your kids when you vote?

[milehighmonkeys]

I remember going with my mom as a kid. We've been getting bombarded with mail to register for mail-in voting. It seems kinda weird to me. I'm planning to take DD to the polling place with me. It seems like many kids don't get to see their parents go vote anymore. Between work, daycare, school and now mail-in ballots, there seems to be little opportunity. Are you going to take your kids to the polling place?

[Ruthla]

If DS has school that day, he'll go to school and I'll vote in the middle of the day when it's convenient for me. If he's off that day, I'll take him with me, or give him the option of staying home with his sisters (who are homeschooled and will have the option of coming with me or staying home.)

[eepster]

Probably

[meesa143]

We do. DH and I take turns watching them while the other votes. I think it's a great way to introduce them to it.

[Drummer's Wife]

If we end up waiting until the fourth to vote then I will probably take my older two. They don't have school that day. If DH and I go as planned one morning this week, then I think we'll either take turns running in to vote or go together and bring the younger two kiddos. I have taken my DD past years and she thought it was really cool to see the voting booths and get a sticker and talk to the volunteers. Come to think of it I've stood in line when I had two little ones by myself to vote one year, I remember waiting for awhile.

[milehighmonkeys]

DD was just a few months old at the last major election. I didn't know about the stickers. She'll think that's cool.

According to our local school lunch calendar, school is not out on election day here.

We're going to take advantage of early voting. We still go to the polling place, we're just hoping to beat the rush.

[travlr]

I take my children to vote. It's a great opportunity to talk about the country and the basics of politics with my now 4 & 2 yr old. Though last year my older daughter thought we were going "boating" and was totally bummed out by how boring voting was.

[tinuviel_k]

Nope. I always do an absentee ballot. I find it much easier than hauling small ones to the poll and having to wait in line. I find it much less distracting to be able to fill in my ballot at a quiet time, and I am much less likely to make a mistake than if I had to deal with quieting an impatient child and voting at the same time.

[eclipse]

I always take them to vote.

[TEAK's Mom]

We always go as a whole family to vote. We're all political geeks.

[newtonscricket]

If I could just take ONE of my older two, I might, but I anticipate great lines here. My husband has already missed two days of work in the last month for jury duty, I can't really make him miss more time just to babysit the two year old while I vote.

So I voted early. Really, I'm always afraid I'm going to make a mistake, I print out a list of who I'm voting for to take with me. It's not like I'll forget to vote for Obama, but I don't want to get the soil and water commissioner wrong either. I think I would be too distracted if I brought even the older two together...they would bicker, complain about being bored, chase each other and generally make me sorry I had attempted it.

If I had no option for voting except to bring all three, including the two year, and there were long lines, that might really test my dedication. Really it would be a nightmare.

[pigpokey]

I have for less -- busy -- elections during the last four years. The last presidential election was when my daughter was 1 and my son in my uterus and I don't recall a big turnout at my polling place. I doubt they will wait in line with me, but thanks for reminding me that I should take them by to see what it's like. We live just a block or two from where I vote.

The local bounce indoor playground is having drop off hours all day.

[Yooper]

Yep, we do. This year dh will be out of town on business so he already voted. But normally not only do I take dd during the day, dh will take her again after work when he goes. We vote at every local election so it happens annually....and as I mentioned before, twice that day. We think it is very important for dd to see the process. As long as she is happy to go, we will take her. My parents took me. And dh's mom took all three of her LOs. It is tradition

[marieangela]

I've taken the boys with me to vote and plan to at least take the older one with me this time. His school is a polling place (not ours, though) and he is off for the day. He is in kindergarten and is very excited that he gets to vote at school the day before election day. Apparently it is a nation wide thing, but I'm not sure how many schools are participating.

[Jessy1019]

My kids always go with me to vote. They hear all about the election at home, they're invested in our candidate, and they are excited to go with me.

[berkeleyp]

I always take my dd to vote and now I'll take the baby too. I think its important for kids to see their parents voting. I remember helping pull the lever when I was little.

Now we have only the scantron paper ballots and I was disappointed that my dd was not allowed to feed the ballot into the machine.

[boatbaby]

Definitely! Z still remembers voting with me in the primaries and talks about it all the time. Maybe it's because we're in the DC area, but he and his buddies "talk politics" a lot for 4 year olds

One of his best friend's dad is secret service for the VP and they joke that "dad
needs a new boss".

At first DS was saying he would vote Obama just like his mommy. But I told him he needed to decide for himself who he thought would make the best president, not just do what mommy does.

So after some thought he said he would "vote for Gavin because he is the nicest guy I know" (one if his little friends). And he's stuck with that for a couple of months now.

VOTE FOR GAVIN! :

[1xmom]

Absolutely. My dd has always gone w/me to vote. She's pretty excited about going w/me to this one, too. She is off school that day, so we'll probably sleep in then walk down to the polls.

[mamazee]

School is off that day and there's no way I can handle my daughter waiting in line with me for 2 hours or however long it will be. My husband will come home to stay with her while I vote. I do generally take her with me if she isn't at school.

[musikat]

My 6 1/2 year old will be really upset if I DON'T take him to vote! He has been rooting for Obama since the primaries (and DP and I were both Hillary supporters. ). So he is super excited about this election. Unfortunately that also means I will be taking his 4 1/2 year old brother, plus the 18 month old who would be with me in any case. Yikes! I guess I will try to go early morning before school and if the lines are too long, just explain that this is what it looks like, then go vote while they are in school?

Question, are kids allowed actually in the voting booth with me? I am assuming yes, but I don't want to get there and be told they aren't allowed or something!