Wow. So many voting problems where I was, they just about ran out of write-in vote affidavits. Our voting worker apparently had a "problem with the alphabet" -- this was what I was warned when I first got on the line. Apparently he couldn't tell a "G" from an "M". We had an unusual amount of people on our district's line because of "irregularities" -- our district's line was four times longer than all the rest. Among the problems: missing names and switched districts. People who lived in the same apartment had different districts. Piles and piles of write-in votes due to missing names, with some agitated people even wanting to talk to the police. It was so bad that the supervisor would just stand at the door apologizing to people as they left. I've never seen anything like this in all my years of voting. Chaos.
What a mess. I think both sides might have mucked around with the process. I'm not saying that the candidates approve the mucking of the votes. But you have to understand, when you get down to really local branches, there's very little control. I think the past voting clusterfucks like Florida don't happen because of some official dictate from on high. It's the result of highly zealous people on a more local level who justify what they do by their loyalty to their party. I was asked to tear down the opponent's posters when I volunteered at my local Democratic club in the early 1990s. I'm sure the Republicans do this too. "Politics" -- and power -- can make some people stupid and unethical. This is why I'm cynical, and can't throw myself into complete and total support for any one side.
Still, I urge people to vote, even if it's a big pain in the ass to do so.
Here's hoping next year my district hires election workers who know the alphabet. That might really help.
Your district should get high school volunteers. My polling place had an army of high schoolers handing out sample ballots and stickers and helping the older workers with their alphabets.
ReplyDeleteJust got back from voting. Went surprisingly VERY smoothly. No one in line in our section of the alphabet and the line for the processing machine was gone by the time I finished marking my votes.
ReplyDelete"Your district should get high school volunteers"
ReplyDeleteI was just going to write that...or even college students.
Or offer more money for the job. It's important enough. I worked a poll on one election many years ago. The pay was lousy, the hours were long, and they had to beg me to take the job because nobody wanted to do it. Still, I took some pride in it because I felt I was part of something bigger, you know?
we live in new york. what do you expect when they really don't care about your votes and candidates take them completely for granted. does the electoral college make sense anymore? would you want to see obama or mccain actually speak at a venue near you? shouldn't people collecting unemployment be working at the polls? maybe i'm being ridiculous, but how much smoother do you think voting is in pennsylvania, ohio, and florida?
ReplyDeleteWow. That's a bummer. I hope the votes get counted correctly. There was exactly one person in line ahead of me here in VA and the little old ladies seemed to have it under control. Getting high schoolers involved is a good idea. They understand modern things like the alphabet and numbers.
ReplyDeleteSounds like there should be a "polling official care guide." Feed your pollsters and fill them with the coffees or they'll forget the alphabet. I'm sure the offer of food could help offset the shitty pay if a district couldn't afford to shell out more cash. College kids and high schoolers love the foods!
ReplyDeleteWow... this was NYC?
ReplyDeleteMy polling place had four districts voting, and each table had an orderly line. It took me 15 minutes (6:15 - 6:30) to get in and out. Would have been faster, but one lady was voting on a provisional ballot, and the booth attendant had to assist.
Considering that the public schools are closed today (usually the machines take up a small corner, but today it was the entire cafeteria), they really should have gotten teenagers to volunteer.
Oh, and if you're getting antsy and need something to pass the time, go to http://newyork.barackobama.com/page/content/nyhome
and volunteer.
I try not to bother people who don't care to vote. I vote, but it is justifiable not too with all the ballot stuffing, "lost" ballots, and all the other B.S. that happens around an election. People who use the excuse of, "We don't get to vote really, the electoral college does.", is an idiot. They can vote the people out who speak for them. So...which ever...I won't preach to you or hate you.
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