Almost Disenfranchised
So I went to vote today. It was like a friggin treasure hunt.
Before leaving work, I called my polling location to make sure I was headed to the right place (being new to the area and all). I was informed that the polling site had been switched, and I needed to go to a different location.
I went to said different location - The Church. I was told that my name was not on the roster. The voter-"helper" lady told me to go to The Senior Center. I go to The Senior Center. No polls.
I walk inside and ask where the polls are. "I don't know, we were scheduled to be an election site, but the election people never showed up this morning. You can try The School down the street, sometimes they do it there."
I go to The School down the street. Turns out, I'm not on that list either. They look at my voter registration card and tell me that I'm supposed to vote at The Church down the street, the first place I went to.
I go BACK to The Church, loudly decrying my frustrations. Magically, they found my name on the list, and I got to vote. Two hours and six bucks in gas later.
Here's what gets me the most:
1) How can you change a polling site at the last minute and not notify affected voters? How many people will show up to that place, find nothing and give up?
2) How can you not find my name on the roster? Being able to follow basic rules of alphabetizing should be a requirement to be a polling volunteer.
3) How many people would have the endurance to go to FOUR different places? I'm determined, but many people need to get back to work, or are on foot.
4) I just happen to live in a lower / middle class area.
Before leaving work, I called my polling location to make sure I was headed to the right place (being new to the area and all). I was informed that the polling site had been switched, and I needed to go to a different location.
I went to said different location - The Church. I was told that my name was not on the roster. The voter-"helper" lady told me to go to The Senior Center. I go to The Senior Center. No polls.
I walk inside and ask where the polls are. "I don't know, we were scheduled to be an election site, but the election people never showed up this morning. You can try The School down the street, sometimes they do it there."
I go to The School down the street. Turns out, I'm not on that list either. They look at my voter registration card and tell me that I'm supposed to vote at The Church down the street, the first place I went to.
I go BACK to The Church, loudly decrying my frustrations. Magically, they found my name on the list, and I got to vote. Two hours and six bucks in gas later.
Here's what gets me the most:
1) How can you change a polling site at the last minute and not notify affected voters? How many people will show up to that place, find nothing and give up?
2) How can you not find my name on the roster? Being able to follow basic rules of alphabetizing should be a requirement to be a polling volunteer.
3) How many people would have the endurance to go to FOUR different places? I'm determined, but many people need to get back to work, or are on foot.
4) I just happen to live in a lower / middle class area.
posted by Lex Fori at
1:22 PM
7 Comments:
It sucks that your polling place had incompetent volunteers. You should come join us in Oregon or Washington where voting is made easy.
We get our ballots mailed to us. We fill out the ballots and mail them back or drop them off at a conveniently located collection booth.
I love being able to research the candidates and referendums online as I fill out the ballet. Also we have no computerized voting to screw up.
-Ryan
By
Anonymous, at 2:59 PM
I know it - I think I'll request a mail ballot next time around. There is actually a proposition to change our system to one similiar to that in effect in Washington and Oregon, but it will never pass.
Another interesting proposition we have here is to automatically enter all voters into a one million dollar lottery. I went back and forth on this one. On the one hand, I don't like the idea of bringing voting and gambling into the same arena - the motivations for voting should be based on civic duty and patriotism (the 'any party' kind). Gambling should be reserved for those moments when there are legal hookers nearby to spend money on when you win. I also don't like the idea of bribing people to vote.
But... I think a measure like this chance at a million would most motivate people who are of my political pursuasion, so in the practical sense, I like the probable effects such a system would have.
In the end, I voted for the million dollar voter reward. Practicality won out over philosophy. You've gotta be willing to play a little icky in Arizona if you're a liberal wanting to gain ground.
I also wrote myself in as the candidate for State Mine Inspector.
By
Lex Fori, at 3:18 PM
So what will you do if you win?
What a day.
Corrupt bastards lost at least the house. More dear to my heart: Santorum IS GONE.
Even though I'm not in MO: Go McCaskill!!!!
-Ryan
By
Anonymous, at 10:19 PM
I am glad that you stuck to your "guns" and were able to vote! Congratulations!
I am so happy today, as you can imagine! I will hold off the gloating to GMR for awhile.
As for the million buck lottery just to vote, on principle, I disagree with it. If the object is to get people to vote, then, they should put a meassure on the ballot that makes voting in your state a legal holiday! Put democracy before profits, and give everyone the day off - PAID!
Unfortunately, at the current time, the business community would be sooooo against this proposition. But, because of that reason, I am for it! Let the people have the time to vote!
In your adventure yesterday, you questioned what happens to people who don't have the time, like you did, to vote. If they have the whole day off, they will vote! Furthermore, if you get the Vote by mail thing working, then it gives everybody the option to have a day off, if they mail in their votes. That would be a PAID day off!
As a business owner, I am all for it!
Another angle is to make the voting process take a week. This would include the weekend. This would give people plenty of time to vote when they have time! No paid holiday, but, the election territory would have to pay poll workers for a whole week.
Personnally, I like the PAID holiday more than the weeklong voting process, but, I would take either over what we have now!
By
Crazy East Coast Uncle, at 6:58 AM
I saw that AZ had that million dollar thing and didn't like it. Too gimmicky. More likely to bring out the people who are willing to spend 100 bucks on lottery tickets to win $5.
I see they cn't decide on the gay marriage thing but English is the official language. Tsk Tsk, Lex, letting your state go to hell like that.
By
Arbusto, at 8:51 AM
I know, my state is going to hell. The gay marriage initiative looks like a victory for the pro-civil rights folks - but the initiative, if it fails will be for other reasons. The one man - one woman prop here in AZ would also remove domestic benefits for many same sex couples as well, and that seems to be the primary reason people voted against it.
CECU - I agree. I've always thought that elections should be moved to the weekends. I wonder about a "whole week" plan, because then you would have the polls from early in the week affecting who went out to vote later in the week. Although that's an issue I've always had with early counting. An entire paid day off would be awesome too. I like that idea, perhaps better than weekend voting. What could make for a better national holiday? And don't hold off on gloating to GRM!!! Do that immediately. As soon as you read this. Then do it again one hour later. We got this one, and we deserve our time to to celebrate before watching little happen in the next two years.
The anti-immigration initiatives here in AZ sadden me, for sure. This state is so anti-immigration it's ridiculous. Silly me, I'm pro-humanitarian.
Ryan - have I been holding on to false hope all this time or are you a different Ryan than I've been thinking all along? Did you move MO? If so, where to. If it's Hawaii, I'm going to fall over in a fit of jealousy.
By
Lex Fori, at 9:33 AM
If you are expecting someone from small town MO, that is me. I moved to Portland, OR with my wife a couple of months ago.
We both love it. We are an 1.5 hours from: some of the most beautiful coastline anywhere and Mt. Hood. The city itself is beacon: great public transportation, best bookstore in the country (Powell's), and very friendly people. The city takes pride in being weird.
We came to Portland on vacation last year. I told my wife I wanted to live here the first day.
-Ryan
By
Anonymous, at 11:15 PM
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