SHOWING UP: Reader Gary Kitts writes: “My wife and I took today (Wednesday 10/24/2012) for personal business and included a stop at the Johnson County (Indiana) court house to vote early. We figured that there would not be much of a line. We arrived a little after 11:00 a.m. and there were about a half-dozen people ahead of us. The process was fast, easy and well-organized. The voter ID process was much easier and less intrusive than the ID process required to enter the Minton-Capehart Federal Building in Indianapolis. (I am retired IRS and my wife is still employed by IRS). The electronic ballots and voting machines were very easy to use. The real surprise was the constant stream of voters coming in the door behind us. The poll workers said that the early voting was like this every day and the comments indicated that voters believed that voting on Tuesday 11/06/2012 would be a long, long wait in line at the new voting centers we now have. Just an individual anecdote that this election is resonating deeply as a really important event in our nation’s history.”

UPDATE: Reader Barney Madsen writes: “I took my mom and mother-in-law to lunch to talk over election and ballot issues, and then we went to vote early (early voting started yesterday in Utah) at the Utah County building. We arrived after 2 pm. Voter ID (you can show a Utah drivers license) was no hassle. Almost all the voting machines (10 or 12) were occupied and we had to wait in line. The line got longer while we were in line, and snaked around the inside of the building. Utah is designated ‘solid’ for Romney (one of the reddest of the red states — Utah was Mitt’s adopted home when he rescued the 2002 Olympics, and the majority of residents share his values and are LDS). So, our votes don’t “count” as much in electoral college terms as swing states like Ohio or Florida or Virginia. Turnout won’t matter: Romney will win Utah. Nevertheless, from my experience this afternoon, there is a lot of enthusiasm to get out and vote (and avoid the rush on election day). Heard Obama was going to vote early in Chicago today (the 1st president to vote before election day). So, I’m proud to have voted the same day as our soon-to-be-ex-president!”