Election Day, part 7

Voting instructions!

It was a lot like taking an acheivement test: you fill in the oval next to the candidate you want to win, just like you used to fill in the oval (or circle) of the answer you felt was correct. Same thing, really.

Voters had three options for filling out their ballots: wait for a booth to open, sit at an open spot at the table, or use a provided clipboard. These instructions pictured are, in fact, ON a clipboard. I didn't want to wait for a voting booth; there was a chair available at the table, and I pounced. The table was the very same table from which the election staff were handing out the ballots. In a way, I kind of thought that was almost a bit of a conflict of interest. I'm not sure if that's the right way to express it, but it's close...

Sitting at that table, we were right up against each other, and it sort of felt like taking the SAT or the IOWA test. "You can copy from mine, if you want..." I offered, to conspiratorial chuckles. Bewildered words were exchanged about the "fringe" presidential candidates -- Chuck (Constitution Party) and Bob (Libertarian Party) and Ralph ("Oh yeah! I forgot Nader was running! Huh. That's pretty funny..." said one of my neighbors.) It made for a true community experience. I enjoyed it like I've never enjoyed an election before.

I felt so connected to my community, to my country. It made it big and small and local and national and global all together.

I am SO GRATEFUL that I wasn't denied my Constitutional right to my voice in this election.

I love having this right. I love exercizing this right.

I love that there were so many people celebrating this opportunity to exercize this valuable right. I hope they learn to feel the way I feel, too, and come out with me every election.