Went and voted in the California recall election at 7:15am in the Littlest Guy’s elementary school cafeteria.
Not to crowd on Lileks turf, but there is just something so cool about standing in line with your neighbors waiting to vote. We chatted with the people next to us in line; everyone was upbeat but serious at the same time, and somehow it was kind of perspective-shaping to be walking into an elementary school cafeteria, complete with kindergarten collages of jack-o-lanterns, and deciding on the fate of one of the most powerful people in the country. I think that’s how it ought to be done; neighbors waking up, walking along with their coffee cups and chatting about inconsequential things, deciding important matters while standing under a crude cutout of a pumpkin.
The line was way out the door; we left our coffee and tea on the table, figuring we’d be back in ten minutes, and it took over thirty. Our local polling places had been combined; where there were three, now there’s one.
But in ten years of living here, I’ve never been more than two or three people away from the signin table; I think that in our (relatively conservative) district, we’re going to see exceptional turnout today – which is obviously good for Arnold and the recall.
We’ll see. One of the interesting problems with not having TV is that we need to find someplace to go tonight to watch the results…or else we can just stay home and listen to them on the radio and make believe it’s the 1930’s…
Nah, I have to work early. Voted two weeks ago.
It’s not even an option here (Oregon), where we have no polling places, just drop-off points for the ballot mailed to you weeks earlier. (Or you could return the ballot by mail if you thought of it early enough.)
Well, you could meet TG at the Biltmore and watch it with the Gray folks. 😉
I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out how a vote for Arnold punishes the LA Times. That’ll teach me to read your posts before dinner, won’t it?
I agree with the local feeling. I don’t chit chat, (ever) but I note who I see at the polling place and recognize them as my neighbors. It’s a nice nod to the community thing. And by the way, I don’t feel disenfranchised because I got a punch-card ballot. (Maybe that’s because I can read instructions) Plus, because I live in a more than decent end of town, I don’t see any argument supporting those who would claim that only poor minority areas are being “burdened” with old “obsolete” balloting methods. “Paper ballots are confusing, electronic voting is too hi-tech for minorities to operate”….and on and on. Mark my words…. the dems are going to make every silly-assed argument they can after this is over. Oh, the Hilarity!! I’m rivited! And y’all thought the last five days was good!