Ok, I voted for Barack early. I voted early for Barack alone; my husband wants to vote on the 4th "for the tradition of it". I didn't want to stand in what I think are going to be looong election day lines. A couple things happened during my voting experience that I didn't expect.
I grew up within Dark Blue Chicago city limits (go Cubs!). Moving "downstate"- what Chicagoans call the entire state of Illinois outside the city and 'burbs- has not been easy on a Democrat. Down here in my area of central Illinois the political map is very, very Red. Many people around town assume you feel the same way and make conservative pronouncements with the arrogance of the narrow-minded.
My husband and I forge ahead and cast our liberal votes, election after election. Our yard signs have never been stolen or defaced- people are too polite around here for such things. Heck, you can't get people who have the right-of-way to take their turn at a 4-way stop- that's how polite they are!
But I went to my early polling place alone today fully prepared to zip in & out and be surrounded by nothing but McCain supporters. Wrong on both counts!
The wait in the middle of the day on a Monday was 45 minutes!! I knew that other states' early polling places have had 2 and 3 hour waits, but this was unexpected to me. I guess I've been equating early voting with Obama enthusiasm and so was very surprised, as was every single person who came in after me asking to vote.
They said they'd call my name and so I sat down to wait (I know, cushy!). I read over a ballot just to make sure I knew my plan. No book, no magazine, no iPod, humph. Called my mom, no answer. Called my niece, no answer. I did get through to my husband and that was great to share with him that I had decided today was the day!
After I hung up with him, I heard two ladies talking exuberantly 2 rows away from me. They were laughing because the wait was so long- they hadn't expected it either. We smiled at each other in that way that you acknowledge strangers in public when they say something you agree with. Then one of them got a cellphone call and was talking about going to a local store after voting. I had information about a special sale and told her friend about it. They were very glad to get the information and the woman thanked me after she got off the phone. Before I knew it we were talking about Palin, her wardrobe, and how unqualified she is. I was trying to be quiet because 1)talking loudly about candidates within 100 ft. of a polling place is illegal "electioneering" and 2) there was a man sitting between us whose reaction to our conversation I couldn't yet read. But they would have none of that. They spoke at regular volume about the last 8 terrible years and how volatile McCain seems. The man sitting in the row separating us finally added "I totally agree". Whew, ok- we weren't offending him- what a relief. Ok, I thought. Maybe I'm not so alone in central Illinois after all! This is pretty fun! I know you're supposed to be neutral in a polling place but these were real, live Obama supporters willing to say so out in public and I was thrilled!
We continued to talk, the once-silent man behind me adding more and more of his support to what was said. I kept trying to talk quietly, still that knee-jerk reaction of a blue dot living among red dots, not to mention trying not to break the law! A woman on the other side of the area was reading a book but kept looking up at us while we all talked about our support for Obama. I wondered if she liked what was being said or was getting angry with us and was about to go complain!
Soon the two ladies' names were called to go vote, and the man and I lapsed into silence, our conversational momentum diminished. Two more names were called, "(Female name) Smith and (Male name) Smith, you're next" The man behind me stood up and so did the woman across the room who had been looking up at us from her book! Were they married? Why were they sitting so far apart from each other? I started to wonder if there was a McCain side of the room and an Obama side of the room! Wow, thank goodness I sat down on the correct side!
Finally after 55 minutes, it was my turn to vote! I couldn't help but smile hugely as I walked to the clerk, I wanted to jump up and yell "Yay!!" It turns out I got to use a touch screen, available in a limited number in this area (1 per precinct). Uh-oh, people have had trouble with these machines switching Obama votes to McCain! I got a little nervous, but also excited because I'm a bit of a technology geek.
Well, the touch screen went just fine and was pretty fun, actually! I lingered over the President page once I saw the X in the Obama/Biden box. I wanted to take a picture of it with my phone but decided that this, too, was probably illegal! So, I just enjoyed looking at it for a few seconds before moving on. The machine asks you to print your vote at one point, so I got to see my Obama vote recorded on the strip of paper, too.
I completed my electronic ballot, got my "I Voted" sticker and left, smiling. I teared up a bit as I walked down the stairs but didn't cry with happiness like I thought I would, probably because I was alone and didn't want to look like an unhinged loner in need of assistance. I drove home talking to myself and couldn't wait to share my experience with my fellow kossacks.
I have great hope for next Tuesday. I hope it's such a landslide that voter suppression doesn't even figure into it. I hope for no "Bradley effect" and instead an "Obama effect"- people who are not inclined to tell others they'll vote for Obama do so in the privacy of the voting booth. I hope for all of us that the right man wins.
I made it official today, and I learned that I'm not alone down here in now what I hope turns out to be Purple "downstate" Illinois!!
Thanks for letting me share my voting day with you. I know that diaries are supposed to be informative and substantive, but I hope that at this time, during this historic election, a little leeway can be given.