Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Go Vote Right Now

I know the whole damned thing is rigged, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't participate in your civic duty today.

In past years, I would wait until after work to run to the polls -- and sometimes I'd literally run there. This morning, after hearing how busy it was during early voting, I decided to get there right when it opened at 6:30 a.m.

Despite my best effort to beat the crowd, I waited in a long line, in the cold for the poll workers to open the doors. This was the busiest I've seen on Election Day. There was a list taped to a wall with names and precincts. Mine wasn't on there, but I knew I was in the right place.

I was worried they'd make me fill out a dreaded Provisional Ballot, which you might as well not even vote at that point.

Then I heard that there were other lists floating around. My polling location had three precincts. I guessed at which line to enter and jumped on my phone to look it up on the county board of elections website. I had guessed right.

The ballot was a two-pager. I was surprised all the no-name presidential candidates who had gotten enough signatures to appear. I filled in the scantron bubbles, like it was a standardized test. No hanging chads in my county.

Between leaving and returning to my car, it was 47 minutes. I voted today. Did you?

5 comments:

David said...

You only voted once? Sounds like you out the same effort into you voting that you've recently put into your running.

My polling place opens at 9AM - I'm on the way to brave the line of 3 people.

Carolina John said...

very cool. I'm going to work from home this afternoon so I can leave the office at 2 pm, avoid the lines, and vote then. I hope it will avoid the lines.

The whole thing is rigged. Since we both live in swing states, we're rigged more than usual. We've been getting calls..... apparently there are 5 people with the last name Flynn that are expected to vote in this election with our address on the register. Mine and the Mrs names are on there, but the other 3 are made up ballot box stuffings. It's absurd.

C said...

Well done, you. I voted at the end of September. And I know the town clerk has received and counted it because she told my mother. I love absentee ballots and small towns.

Jess said...

Yup, I did. Took about an hour to wait in line, so it wasn't too shabby. Our ballot was 5 pages -- lots of ammendments!

misszippy said...

I think (from reading enough of you) I am glad you voted today in Ohio. Your state is the epicenter this year and your vote is needed.

And yep, I voted and do every year. Crazy to skip this privilege.