This is short and sweet.........
Think the poll tax is a thing of the past?? You would be wrong. The poll tax is alive and well in every city that has 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 hour lines to vote!
Today I voted absentee - in person - in Virginia - for Obama. Why?? I am going to be on vacation on November 4 when the polls are open.
I got to City Hall in Richmond, VA around 9AM. When I actually got to the voting machine it was 11:15AM - TWO HOURS & 15 MINUTES!! The city hall is the ONLY place in Richmond where city residents can vote in person with an absentee ballot.
There were only 4 voting machines on 10/31/2008 - just 4.
The people in line were cheerful, talkative and purposeful. I only saw one lady walk out. Several of us tried to get her to stay and vote but she said she did not have "time for this". We offered to hold her place in line if she wanted to go and come back in an hour or two hours but she never came back. I did not get anyone's name but the crowd around my station in line was lively and we had a great time. The staff was helpful getting chairs for the elderly and disabled folk. There were several ladies in their 80's and 90's who we called the musical chair brigade as they sat and when the line moved they got up and moved their chairs forward.
All in all it was OK because we were all inside the building and not outside.
I call this 2 hour wait a poll tax because people had to take time off work, school and other duties to stand in line to vote. Think about all the folk who could not miss work - what are they supposed to do?? Those folk will not be able to miss work on Tuesday either. The lines will be even longer on Tuesday.
We as Americans MUST get election day as a national holiday. Christmas day - EVERYTHING - is closed (well almost). Why not election day??