Voting Day, 2012
Being inclined to the latter position, I hastened to consult my personal Man In Washington, who told me, "Well, Mom, there are more reported incidents of death by vending machine than there are instances of proven voter impersonation." I loved it.
So I thought of him this morning when I voted. Arriving at 7:07 (polling place had opened at 7:00), there was a long line and I was #48 in my ward. I hand my wallet firmly closed in my handbag; no way was I going to be intimidated into going along with the nonsense of having to prove who I am. I had plenty of time to prepare a little speech on deadly vending machines (and coconuts!). Then I noticed that showing the photo ID sped up the process considerably, pulled out my license, and entered the booth.
My civic duty completed, I hurried on to work, arriving almost on time. And pondering the possibility of somehow choking to death on a piece of coconut custard pie . . . .
Comments
I have read why you vote on this day but I still don't get it. Our elections are always a Saturday and here in Australia a country of just over 20 million people, everyone over the age of 18 has to vote in a local, state and federal elections. I've seen lots of I've done my voting now you go vote too.
I have worked as a polling official at our elections and no matter where you vote our system is the same - pencil and paper and numbers.
Is it right that my understanding there will be many people who won't go and vote and then complain about the result, here that isn't an option, the only option is called a donkey vote - go get your name marked off the electoral roll, take your voting papers and don't vote or write rude notes on them or even draw rude pictures on them and then place them in the ballot box for those who count them to see how stupid some people are.
Sorry I got long winded but it is really interesting here in oz with all our morning TV covering your election. Sue
What is insane here, is that Virginia has sent out new voter's cards about two months before the last 3 elections. What's up with that? Do they hope some folks will show up with the wrong card?? What a waste of trees.
Ah, coconut custard pie! That was my Dad's favorite and you've flung a craving on me. Choking on it? What a way to go! Not really, of course ...
Hugs!
Many Philadelphia (especially) elderly were born in the south to midwives, have no birth certificates - so have no way to vote even if they have been appropriately and legally voting for decades. My friend Liza's elderly and very frail father so spent three trips to the DMV and many hours before he got a valid non-driver's license. (Gee, he should have simply renewed his license and been driving?) If someone was born in another state, obtaining a new birth certificate can be a chore - some states require an application in person. So travel to that state just to get another birth certificate (I don't have my original, do you?) would be impossible or onerous and costly at best.
Voting is a right, not something we choose to do like travel in a plane. We need to make it easy enough for people to legally participate without allowing in person voter fraud to occur. But as Nancy's son pointed out, that's rarer than hen's teeth.