Why Did (or Didn't) You Vote? Scenes From the Polls on Election Day

A sign welcomes voters to a polling place in the Mission. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Expectations of low voter turnout got us thinking: What gets people to the polls? And what keeps them away?

KQED's Nina Thorsen proudly displays her "I Voted" sticker beneath her car radio, dutifully tuned to 88.5 FM. (Nina Thorsen/KQED)

When asked why she voted, KQED Producer Nina Thorsen launches into an epic origin story. "When my mother realized she was pregnant with me, she was standing in line to vote for Adlai Stevenson" for president in 1956.

Faced with a long line and strong civic pride, Thorsen's mother "needed to stay in line to vote for Adlai." She did, and the lesson was passed down to her yet-unborn daughter. "I was born to vote in every election," Thorsen said.

Poll worker Brie Felder, 45, hands voter Belinda Ricklefs, 78, her ballot at the Rotary Nature Center polling place in Oakland. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Poll worker Brie Felder views volunteering and voting as her duty. "My ancestors lost their lives trying to get the right to vote. It's my patriotic duty."

Belinda Ricklefs enjoys voting in person. "I like coming to the polls and talking to the poll workers. It feels much more democratic to me" than voting by mail.

Tsamchoe Shrestha, 50, of El Cerrito, plans to vote later in the day. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Tsamchoe Shrestha, of El Cerrito, looks after toddlers Isabel and Clara as they play in Dolores Park. She is babysitting them for the day, and says she doesn't know if she'll be able to get to the polls in time to vote -- but she plans to.

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"Sometimes their parents come early, sometimes they come late, so it depends on their schedule," Shrestha said.

Samantha Padilla, 17, of Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School and Jerry Gong, 17, of Galileo High School volunteer as poll workers at the Dolores Park Church polling place. (Katie Brigham/KQED) — Samantha Padilla, 17, of Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School, and Jerry Gong, 17, of Galileo High School volunteer as poll workers at the Dolores Park Church polling place. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School student Samantha Padilla, 17, volunteered as a poll worker at the Dolores Park Church polling place on Election Day because her teacher inspired her to volunteer.

"My civics teacher told us, 'As young teens, you should be more involved.' "

Lauren Taylor, 28, votes at her polling place on 36 Hoff St. in San Francisco's Mission District. (Katie Brigham/KQED) — Lauren Taylor, 28, votes at her polling place in San Francisco's Mission District. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Reflecting a growing trend in this year's election, Lauren Taylor planned on voting-by-mail in this year's election. But she recently moved, so she didn't receive her mail-in ballot, necessitating a trip to the polls

Vicki Peterson, 57, has been making baked goods on election day at the Dolores Park Church polling place on and off for the past 10 years. (Katie Brigham/KQED) — Vicki Peterson, 57, has been making baked goods on Election Day at the Dolores Park Church polling place on and off for the past 10 years. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Vicki Peterson and a group of churchgoers at the Dolores Park Church make cookies and other baked good for voters, and have been doing so for the past 10 years. The increase in mail-in voting hasn't slowed the demand for treats, she says.

"Some people come and say, 'I voted by mail, but I still want some cookies!' "

Another woman, Shelley Degerness, is volunteering as a baker at the Dolores Park Church polling place for the first time this year. As a Canadian citizen, she can't vote. But Degerness and her husband "posted about the election on Facebook and told all our friends to vote!"

Grant Christopherson (Right), 33, and Robert Morris (Left), 41, play with their dogs Oliver and Ocho at Dolores Park. (Katie Brigham/KQED) — Grant Christopherson (right), 33, and Robert Morris, 41, play with their dogs, Oliver and Ocho, at Dolores Park. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

Robert Morris turned in his vote-by-mail ballot this morning. But Grant Christopherson hasn't done all his research yet.

"So, I'm sitting down tonight," he said, planning to drop off his ballot before the polls close at 8 p.m.

CJ Dunbar (right), 24, and Caroline Hawkinson, 24, relax by Lake Merritt. Neither voted on election day. (Katie Brigham/KQED) — CJ Dunbar (right), 24, and a friend relax by Lake Merritt. Neither voted on Election Day. (Katie Brigham/KQED)

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Why Did (or Didn't) You Vote? Scenes From the Polls on Election Day

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