Asked my boss for time off to vote on Election day.

[TigressDem]

He said I could take it unpaid.

I took off until Noon, but now I wonder if that will be enough time. Maybe I should do a black Friday and camp out Monday 11/2 so I can be first in line in the morning. Tho, in Minneapolis that could be a death sentence.

[DonaldsRump]

1. Can't you do early voting?

https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/other-ways-to-vote/vote-early-in-person/

[TigressDem]

3. Only by absentee ballot.

And the job has be working 6 days a week.

I am exhausted. Printed out my ballot today so I know who I want and what the issues really are, two referendums.

I have had a lot of voting fatigue because of all the lying and hatred coming out from the other side and people in my life who have drank the koolaid. Being called a "Karen" because I told a woman she should wear a mask in a Denny's restaurant because they had just seated a family with a little 2 year old. (Projection much? Meme retarded? IDK) She said, "I've already had it. I'm immune." AND you can still be a carrier. Asked did she really want to be responsible for some little kid dying? That's when she called me Karen.

That and all the people who think BLM are responsible for the ongoing violence and destruction here in Minneapolis when I can see all the out of state license plates crowding in my area. I am about 10 blocks from Lake Street 3rd Precinct destruction and about the same from Ground Zero where George Floyd was killed.

I am a caring, empathetic person just fricken overwhelmed by the whole mess, but willing to stand in line from early AM to do my duty to my country. I've always voted before work and had no problem before. But this whole thing is a new level of **ckology in this country.

If I'm going without pay, maybe I should just take the whole day off. Think I may need to drink heavily after. In celebration or mourning.

[TigressDem]

5. SO I have to request one, think deadline was Oct 13 and then figure out where to take it.

I don't want to trust the USPS, not because they are bad, but because they are overwhelmed. Plus in person just is the way I feel I need to do it. Make SURE it gets done and I see it done.


Vote early in person

You can vote early with an absentee ballot at your local elections office.

[DonaldsRump]

6. Just be in the line before the polls close, either on EV or on Election Day

I am certain they will let you vote on Election Day and probably on EV.

Call Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE. This is a group of non-partisan lawyers all over the country staffing a free call center for voting issues of any sort. It's free and they will tell the exact rules in MN. I posted this yesterday about Election Protection: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214349811

Explain to them your situation. I would have thought your job has to give you a certain minimum number of hours before docking your pay.

[TigressDem]

7. He is a libertarian. He won't prevent me, but he isn't going to pay me if I am not at work either.

Also, he has 2 workshops. I run one. He runs the other. If I am gone, 1 or the other is closed.

Thus the dilemma.

[DonaldsRump]

8. If you are an employee, I am pretty sure he HAS to give you the time off

Call Election Protection and discuss with them. They will give you the right solution based on the MN-specific laws and regulations.

[DonaldsRump]

9. I think they are open now n/t

[TigressDem]

14. He has to allow me time off. He does not have to make it paid time off. NT

[Shermann]

2. You just need to be in line before the polls close

If you are short on time, that may be an option.

[TigressDem]

4. I want to be there when they open so I KNOW I will get my chance.

It could all be fine. In and out in 30 min to an hour like always, but there is potential for election tampering. Somehow machines will get shorted to heavily DEM areas or something like that.

[TigressDem]

15. They have less polling places in Minneapolis, traditionally DEM voters.

It's happened in the South a lot and here we get shorted voting machines as well.

[JDC]

10. My company is giving everyone 4 hrs paid to vote.

I already voted via mail in CO, but I thought it was a great gesture. They've done some amazing things this year around Covid, Justice, Inclusion, Etc.

[TigressDem]

12. The "company" is the owner and me. He pays a couple of consultants for marketing.

So if I am gone all day one of our shops is closed.

I should have done absentee ballot, but I wanted to do it then drop it off and this job is usually 6 days a week and often more than 40 hours. Retail and tech combined. I am uber exhausted.

[Sloumeau]

11. Personally, I'd take off the whole day, then come back to work early if I was able to.

[TigressDem]

13. I thought about it, but then one location would have to be closed all day.

We usually open at 10:30am, and the polls open at 7am. I said I need to have a buffer zone until Noon. I intend to be there at 7am or even before the doors open, but it's a little scary. I live in Minneapolis about 10 blocks from Lake Street riots and maybe 12 from Ground Zero where George Floyd was killed. My election site is in Powderhorn Park which isn't really safe after dark and it will still be dark around 7am. There has been an uptick of violence and everyone's nerves are frayed.

There is an outside chance someone in Minneapolis will die for the right to vote. It could be me. I am a mouthy woman who doesn't back down. BUT we all have to do our part. Soldiers and police aren't the only ones putting their lives on the line these days. Everyone who votes is facing a lot of push back and propaganda this time. The crazies on the fringe are looking for excuses to be violent and push US into chaos.