I early-voted today. Straight Dem. Paper ballot.
When I arrived at the Early Voting location, I was amazed that all 8-9 booths were full, even at 11:00 am. The ages of the voters were varied. I saw several 30-ish men in casual clothing, and I saw elderly couples -- really the age I was expecting to see -- holding hands as they went up to the desk to sign in. I had to wait for approximately 10 minutes to get a booth.
I noticed a sign on the blackboard behind the precinct overseer (for lack of knowledge what else to call her) who was sitting at a different desk eating her lunch. Chicken. (The room smelled of fried chicken, but I digress.) The sign said 2000-something had voted already, to date. That seemed very high to me but I'm new to this area so I didn't ask.
I was asked if I wanted a paper ballot or to use the new Hart system. I said, "Paper. Always." The lady at the check-in smiled knowingly and said my time was coming -- I'd be facing electronic voting soon enough. I said I realized that, but that by that time "they'll have worked out the kinks." The check-in lady told me she understood my concerns, and that this Hart system has 3 back-up computers which all have to match before the results are verified. I let the obvious, go.
I was sent over to the table with the chicken-eating lady and was invited to pick a blank ballot. I was given instructions what to do and how to submit the ballot through the counting machine. I asked the chicken-eater if there had been good turnout. She said it was overwhelming.
I bellied up to the booth and began bubbling in my single slot: Straight Democrat.
The interesting thing is that while I was filling in my ONE SINGLE bubble slot on the ballot, I noticed the waiting line had gotten much longer. There were now easily 10 people waiting to check in. All booths were full, still. I overheard a full-bodied voice behind me at the check-in desk being asked "paper or e-machine?" Mr. Full-bodied Voice said in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the room, "What guarantee do I have that the vote will be counted correctly?" The desk lady gave him the same 3-computer answer, to which Mr. Full-bodied Voice said something along the lines of, "I've heard about vote switching and no verification! You can verify everything in America now but you can't verify a vote?! Why would anyone use a voting machine that can't be verified?"
I stole a glance over at the speaker, who looked to be about 6'3" and paunchy, maybe 60 yrs old. I loved that he said what many of us in the room were surely thinking.
The desk woman said that she knew it had been in the news a great deal, but that our county is using a 3-computer Hart back-up system, "not Diebold." The guy asked if that was state-wide or just our county. She replied, "Just our county."
The man seemed a bit wary, but agreed to a paper ballot as long as his vote was recorded correctly. I was secretly thinking woe be to anyone who gives him incorrect change at the grocery.
I finished voting, it had only taken a few seconds but I had stood transfixed while listening to this guy demand accountability from the clerk, and then I stuck my ballot in the slot and left the room to head out of the double glass doors. As I was leaving, I noticed 3 other SETS of people, 30's to 60's again, coming in.
I realize I live in one of the reddest areas in one of the reddest states in the nation. But these folks were motivated. No, they were motivated. This was the first time in my almost 30 years of voting I've had to wait in line to vote during the mid-terms, and there was not one single ballot issue on the ballot!
The next 7 days will go excruciatingly slowly for me. I anticipate another 2000 or 2004 gut-wrenching, stomach-churning, gag-reflexing upset. But this time, I pray it's the Repugs' turn to go down in flames.
Muffy