Election day, I could barely sleep last night, overwhelmed with the prospects of getting Tim Kaine in office and casting my ballot. I woke up early, let the maid in, jumped in the shower, and then drove over to the polling station, a local elementary school.
Low and behold, my name is not on the voting rolls. I moved to Fairfax County last January (2005). I made sure to fill out all the paperwork at the DMV, since they allow you to both change your address and voter registration is one swoop. I called and confirmed my registration and polling precinct in late August/early September, and today I chirpily was informed that an error was made, and I was still registered in Richmond.
Phone calls were made, and it was determined that I had to vote "Provisionally." This was an outrage to me. Not only was I embarrassed by all the other people staring at me like I was an illegal immigrant trying to throw the Virginia governor's race for Fidel Castro, but I could feel my constitutional rights being jerked away from me like a black man in Broward County.
Provisional ballots are a joke. For my ballot to count, I have to go tomorrow to a county election board in Fairfax, and PROVE that not only is my registered DMV address my current and legal address, but that I am in fact registered to vote in Fairfax. Obviously, since my data has gotten screwed up, proving my correct voting address will be a little difficult. It's infuriating that the state screwed up my voting registration, and now the burden of correcting their mistakes and validating my precinct voting status is my responsibility (all after they confirmed my precinct to me in August).
But that's not all. In Virginia, even after having my provisional ballot excepted, my vote still may not be counted. Only if the differenced between the candidates is fewer than the number of absentee and provisional ballots cast, will my vote be counted. That's specifically why I didn't, and have never voted absentee. Why has this rule never been challenged on the grounds of constitutionality? I know that mathematically, if the difference is greater, there is not outcome changing reason to count the ballots, but it is still my Constitutional right to have my vote counted! Anybody know the ACLU's number?
*UPDATE* This is not a case of election fraud, or Republican dirty tricks; although truth be told, i'd love it if it was! This is a venting about how screwed up, and bass ackward our election system is. This does not mean that the blame is solely on the state of VA. Unfortunately the upkeep and accuracy of the records HELD by the state of VA, believe it or not, falls on the voter. So ultimately the responsibility ALWAYS lies with the voter, even when the state screws it up.