Tuesday, November 07, 2006

"I VOTED"

It's raining and it's cool where we live. It 's a great day to stay in where it's warm and dry. But I
didn't. Instead, I got out in the cool rain and drove a few blocks to VOTE. Voting is something I
wanted to do today even if it were snowing. I had to wait in a long line before casting my vote but time went by fast. It would of been ok had I had to of waited longer because that would of
meant longer lines. More people casting their votes. I sure hope lots more people show up before 6:00 tonight to let it be known that they care about who is elected to hold offices. It really is an
important thing to do. I'm glad to have a small sticker stuck on my jacket saying, "I VOTED!" I
hope you have such a sticker stuck on you!
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2 comments:

Jennifer Coomer said...

They should have included an "I Voted" sticker with my absentee ballot.

1:36 AM
cara harjes said...

in denver people waited 2 - 3 hours, on average. it was the first year that we switched from precincts to a smaller number of voting stations. a totally new computer system.

some populations were said to have been unfairly represented because a 3 hour wait was not practical or possible for them (the elderly. the disabled. the single parent.)

the voting commisioner and his staff were fired the next day.

in line, most people were patient and talked quietly to the people around them. a few were upbeat - thankful to be there and able to sound their voice. some local citizens volunteered their time, helping the masses stay encouraged so they would not leave without casting their votes. they handed out water, Goldfish crackers, and their children's leftover halloween candy.

a few folks were cranky. annoyed. and they were loud about it. complaining. whining. i assume they are generally cranky and annoyed in most aspects of their lives. but it was kind of sad to see in the context of an election.

i kept thinking:

there are people in other parts of the world who would walk for three days for the chance to vote. giving up their wages from those days. and stand in line for hours. and walk three days home. just for the chance to vote. to have their voice heard.

i kept thinking:

women in THIS country have only been "allowed" to vote since 1920! that is less than 100 years.

100 years!

wow!

i can't believe how far we have come in such a short amount of time.

i can't believe how hard those women worked so I could stand in a dingy, poorly ventilated episcopal church basement in denver and cast my vote. share my opinion. say "yes" and "no" and "this guy" and "not that guy, thank you very much".

it is something i am just begining to realize the value of. something i have taken for granted far too long.

i was happy to stand in the hot sweaty basement - with a poorly thought-out vote casting system.

bonus: if you have not seen it, i highly recommend the film Iron Jawed Angels. it is about women's sufferage. a must see!

8:30 PM

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