Early morning exercise of rights

[sienamystic]

Bemo and I voted before he droppd me off at work today. We pulled up to our polling place about five minutes after they opened, and there was a line - not a long one, or out the door or anything, but about ten people in front of us and a few more behind as soon as we queued up. After being spoiled by the big fancy polling places in Virginia (big voting booths with curtains! fancy machines with touchscreens!) it was amusing to vote in small-town Pennsylvania, where instead of the traditional school gym or church meeting hall we voted in an appliance store and I punched chads for the first time in my life. It's equally amusing here in Nebraska, where we were sort of smushed into the entryway of a Lutheran church along with a few folding tables and some very elderly "booths" you stood at (or you could opt for the table with the cardboard screen sitting on it). Most people just took their forms over to the bench and sat, filling in the circles just like an SAT test. Nevertheless, it all got done, and I made it in time for a long staff meeting and a long after-staff-meeting meeting.

It's a gorgeous day out there - bright blue sky, warm and windy. Really delightful fall weather. I may have to try for another photograph or two.

And with that, off to lunch.

Comments

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Nebraska, huh? Did you read the really great piece on your senator Chuck Hagel in last week's New Yorker? He sounds like a Republican I wouldn't mind having represent me :D

[apis-mellifera.livejournal.com]

The one time I voted in Nebraska, it was at an elementary school and they didn't have enough booths for everyone. Me and P. ended up sitting on wee little chairs sized for 6 year olds with clipboards with makeshift screens attached to them.

[(Anonymous)]

I love filling in the circles like the SAT! In elementary school we got to 'practice' with the real voting booths one year. They had levers. I have no mechanical skills now, had even fewer as a kid. Let's just say my mock vote didn't count. This experience honestly stayed with me until I voted for the first time in MA, when I walked in to find a marker waiting for me. The queasy feeling abruptly left. My vote would count! Joy.

~Kate-h, who is concerned about your spider bite

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

I'm keeping a close watch on the bite, and so far it hasn't expanded beyond its original border, thank the lord. I really need that leg.

Hee! They had big pencils for us. Like, kindergartener-size ones.