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I live in an area of retirees and families - there’s a ton of new construction and families in the area, complete with stay at home moms and dads who are free during the day when the kids are in school. So why, when I just hit my local voting precinct at 3pm, was I the only person under the age of 60? Not only that, but the line was OUT the door. This is why people don’t vote, and why retirees are the ones determining who our next President will be. They actually CARE about voting, unlike most of my generation, judging from the lack of young people at the polls.
When I finally got inside, I noticed things had changed from the last time we voted. Previously, you went to separate lines according to where you fell in the alphabet, and signed into a book once you presented your photo idea. Now everyone goes into the same line, where your drivers license is scanned into a special computer, and you sign electronically to get a receipt, which gives you the correct ballot.
My polling place had TWO of these computers, both being operated by two little old grannies, both sets moving like a herd of turtles. In fact, no one working at the polls had any sense of urgency at all. Here’s my suggestion to the polling authority for the county - more computers, and people who can put a little hustle into it. It took me less time to vote (selecting a candidate for President and voting on an amendment to increase the homestead exemption here in Florida) than the time I spent in line OR at the computer getting scanned and signed in. While most of the people in line didn’t mind the wait, treating it like old home week and a chance to catch up with your friends you haven’t seen since the last V.F.W. dance, I minded. The freedom to vote should come with a guarantee that you don’t need to wait more than 10 minutes in line to do so.
I think my sister has the right idea, voting by absentee ballot. (Hmm, is that what people my age are doing, in order to avoid the nonsense at the polls?)
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm and is filed under Bitchy-Poo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
This was my first year using the absentee ballot, and it is a BEAUTIFUL thing….! I had it 2 weeks in advance, so I had time to look at all candidates and issues, decide how I was voting, and mail it in time. Well worth the 97 cents it cost you to mail it in! Go to your counties voter website to sign up for it today!
Puh-leeze. You’re lucky you even get to vote, woman.
[ducking and running!]