Well, I hope you all voted. Right now things look pretty good, but I remember another time about six years ago when I thought that, and when I woke-up, I was faced with a different reality. So, I'll wait until tomorrow to get excited, if there is indeed reason to be excited.
I voted today after a bit of initial annoyance and drama. A while back, a young guy came to my door and persuaded me to use a mail-in ballot. I was against it, because I'm bad about remembering to mail shit, I don't like to encourage people to come knocking at my door by doing what they ask, and frankly, I like the process of voting at the polls. It reminds me of being a kid and going with my mom when they actually had the little curtained rooms. I would stand just outside and ask her bothersome questions through the drapes until she finished.
This kid told me that it was much safer to vote by mail. There was less chance of the kind of problems that occurred in Florida a while back. He made it seem that if I didn't vote by mail, that I could be responsible for another George W. So, I said, okay. I didn't want to tempt bringing any more of that on us again.
A few weeks later, I got a letter telling me that the ballot they sent me was bad. I have no idea what that meant, but they also called it invalid and wrong. I was afraid to open it, for fear that I would unleash some kind of virus or anthrax into my house. So, what I did instead, was ignore it. I didn't even want to vote by mail in the first place, and now it entailed more "dealing with" than I could handle amongst all the other things I had to remember like, what time to pick each daughter up from their various activities, and what their friends' (who all look alike to me) are named, and that I have to feed and dress myself.
Actually, it wasn't half as big a deal as I wanted to make it. I went to the auditor's office who told me just to bring the ballot with me to my polling place. Once I got there, it was kind of fun. I had to first write the word, spoiled across it and then I had to tear a corner of the ballot off and then I stuffed both torn parts into three different envelopes after writing the word void across each one. Finally, I had to write down in a book that I surrendered my ballot and sign underneath it. By the end of the process, I was kind of glad that I had signed up for the spoiled mail-in ballot, it was so much more fun and dramatic to do a voodoo ritual before I voted. At this point, it seems like it was pretty effective too. Who knows, maybe next time, I'll bring a special doll and kill a chicken before I head to the polls.
10 comments:
Six years ago? Two years ago in Mesa I was very embarrased to explain to a Dutch contingent in a hotel bar how exactly Bush could win re-election.
Yeah, I know. His first win was the one where I was sure we had won and had to wake up to the horror of reality. It was the first election that Coadster really took an interest in and she was so disillusioned. How do you explain how that could happen to your eight year old without making her way too cynical?
Baptism by fire. It all equals out in the end.
Churlita,
Sometimes dufus' get elected (frequently?.) Sometimes they cheat!
We have to hang tough like a pit bull.
rel
So you have to be present to dispose of a mail in ballot?
I love the "ripping of the ballet" - The only good news in Texas is local bond propostions passed - since gov here refuses to support anything that would improve the quality of life for the majority of citizens. Samuel - the one who was nursing at my breast all night long 6 years ago (I thought I was dreaming it all up that night) asked last night "did you win the election mom?" "Who is going to rule the earth now?" He takes elections and flags flying at half mast very seriously.
Coooool! You DO excel at - as you say/once said- getting your money's worth.
We signed up for the Vote from Home Package at presidential election time, but I like seeing my little votes go into a ballot box so we just stroll right on down there, with all our little ovals filled in and get our 'Wheeee! I voted' pins. This year, though, it was stickers. I'd like to know who voted on THOSE.
Dex, baptism by fire is always so harsh.
Rel, I am a pit bull in general.
Margaret, I did because I blew it off until voting day. I am lame that way.
Akelly, I would be so much happier if you had won the election and now ruled the earth.
Booda Babe, All I have sometimes is my ability to get my moeny's worth. We still had the metal pins here - but you and I both know that Iowa is usually about 5 years behind Cali.
ok, that's just cool. 3 different envelopes.
i like to tell the kids that come to my door that i've been voting at the polls since they was just pups and i'll use an absentee ballot when i become a shut-in or bedridden.
k.
I pretty much am a shut-in and I didn't want to use an absentee ballot. And I'm old enough to have not voted for Reagan.
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