The elderly Vietnamese gentleman in the lobby was overseeing some kind of papers, but he directed me directly to the entrance. After providing my picture ID (I was ready with drivers license, military ID and current passport) I was sent to a voting machine. These new machines (ok, they are several years old) are so much better that the old ones with the magic wheel that I could never understand. The gentleman supervising the actual ballot box greeted me with a wonderful African accent. I saluted the box and inserted my ballot. He replied "America!" with gusto!
The polling place had only been open for two hours, but everything seemed to be running smoothly
As I passed through the lobby on my way out, I noticed an elderly Orthodox jew, with yarmulka, having a very pleasant conversation with a Muslim lady who was wearing a nice hijab. America, indeed!
I would have loved a picture of the two, but am pretty sure pulling out my camera in a polling place is "frowned upon in this establishment!" (Quick, name the commercial)
I had several choices for voting. I could have voted by mail, waited for election day, or voted at my leisure on a day of my choosing. My problem with voting by mail is that is how we voted for 20 years while stationed in Germany, El Paso, and California. Gore V Bush highlighted my concerns about voting by mail, when it came out that standard practice was to shove absentee ballots in a corner, and maybe count them a few days after the election. Assuming my ballot actually got there. Thanks, NO, I want my vote to count.
I calculated that this was my 14th presidential election, and my 26th congressional election. I tried to figure out how many senate races, but my head started to hurt. Google says seven senators have been elected on my watch.
So, I voted. How about you?
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