My town is pretty small, and since I've been voting here,

Coexist

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Wed Oct-22-08 01:22 PM
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My town is pretty small, and since I've been voting here,

I have never even seen a line to vote. I usually get up early on election day, drive right up to a good parking spot, the nice old ladies sign me in, and I'm off. Five minutes later, I've done my civic duty and I get on with my day.

The past year, I early voted. Same thing, except they made me repeat my address back for some reason. We used e-voting, and I don't like it. My husband absentee votes every year.

This year, its day three of early voting here in Florida. I had the day off and figured any lines would have died down by now. I drove to the post office and dropped hubby's absentee ballot (with two stamps!) and headed to the Supervisor of Elections office.

Hmmm... I had to circle the parking lot to find a spot. Walking up to the only government building in Land O' Lakes, I see a hallway full of people through the window. "No way" thinks I. Huge signs that proclaim "Take a Number" scream at me as I approach. I get inside and there is a throng of people between me and the magic number machine. I rip off my ticket - 697 (is that for today?!) and work my way over to a little pond thingy in the middle of the common area. A large man with a deep baritone bellows, "641" "642". A frail old woman and a young man head towards the doorway of tiny supervisor's office. I see about 8 privacy booths crammed against the two free walls, and three middle-aged employees checking people in and handing out ballots.

I check the room; mostly white, all ages (no surprise 'round here). I pull out my sample ballot, so I have it ready. A man asks me about Prop 2. We discuss how its not our business who wants to get married. My voice carries a little; I want it to. I peek around for reactions... none. A few more people join our conversation on the many Props on the back of the ballot. They are asking my opinion. An elderly woman asks me if what the lady in back said is true - that the St. Pete Times said to vote Yes on all of them. "No", I say. "Hmph, thats what I thought." My Obama button tells people who I am, so I know those wanting my opinion lean left. Its a lot. And we wait for our numbers to be called.

This insane. To have seven hundred people show up on election day would be a large turnout - but for early voting? There are cities where a short wait like this would be a huge blessing, I know; but my town is not like that, so I begin to feel a little hope. When my number is finally called 35 minutes later, after ending a discussion on Prop 8 with some nice people, I head towards the baritone. He glances at me Obama button but keeps a poker face. The 50-ish man behind the counter takes my number and my ID, questions my address, and as he hands me my (Paper!) ballot, I ask, "is that over 600 for today?" "No", he tells me, "since we opened for voting on Monday." Still, quite impressive. A poll worker smiles at me - I recognize her from a debate watch party at my house. I can't help myself, I hug her as I head to my privacy booth. Taking a deep breath, I unfold it.

My heart swells as I see Barack Obama and Joe Biden on an actual ballot that I am going to officially vote on. My gosh, its really that day, isn't it. This is it. All the posts, surfing political sites, watching the cable news shows, donating, canvassing, registering voters, phone banking... and its right there in front of me. My vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Damn. Its been a long time coming. I carefully fill in the oval - take a moment for posterity - and finish the rest. I'm proud and on the verge of tears. It is scanned into a machine, and the message says that my vote has been counted.

I head out into the Florida sunshine... damn the weather is gorgeous. For good measure, I toot my horn loud and long for the Obama sign wavers on the corner. Its a great day to be alive. Its a great day to be a Democrat in Pasco County.