Hey guy I don't know,
How are you? How's your day going? You seemed a little lost on Friday when I saw you while I was waiting in line to vote early at the county government center. No, this isn't some weird "missed connections" post; I noticed you seemed overwhelmed and thought you might need a little help. That's all. The line was a lot. I waited three hours to vote, between waiting in line and the time it took to actually cast my vote. If I factor in the drive time, it really took me five hours to vote. I know, that's a lot, but I'd wait longer to vote if I had to. That's how important voting is.
You kept walking back and forth rather than getting in line. You stopped to talk to the security guard about the wait. Her time estimate was spot on, and you seemed, when talking to her, ready to commit to getting in line. Then you walked back to your car. And then back to the line again. In the time you spent walking around, you could have been halfway to voting.
Are you really going to come back or vote at a satellite office when they open or vote on Election Day? Maybe you live closer to the government center than I do or have more flexible time, but why didn't you just take the plunge and exercise your right to vote right then and there? You need to let your voice be heard, and you were so close.
I know three hours is a long time to wait. You could have watched at least one MCU movie while waiting (I'd recommend The Avengers, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, or Captain Marvel). You could have caught up on the news or started that book you've been saying you're going to read, but it's just been sitting in a pile next to your bed. Or you could chat with the your fellow county residents; I met three very nice people while waiting in line. We discussed voting trends and the weather (as one does). Or you could have just stood there and reveled in the fact that you're doing your part to protect democracy.
You may be asking yourself: Why is the line so long? Why is it taking so long to vote? A lot goes into running a safe and fair election. Some people may make it seem like elections are the easiest thing in the world to manage, but I can tell you that is a lie. With early voting, voters from all over the county (or whatever municipality) are coming together in one location. Election officers have to take extra steps to ensure each voter gets the right ballot for their precinct. I was an easy voter with my standard ballot, but other parts of the county have some additional items to vote on, so it takes a little longer to make sure the ballot and the voter match. You might want to take some time to check online for a sample ballot if you're wondering what else you're voting on this election.
Also, they're trying to process thousands more people than normal for early voting. They're doing their best to adjust to these record numbers, opening more conference room space and using as many election officers as they can. When satellite offices open in mid-October, it'll ease up and wait times should reduce. They're doing their best to manage yet another unprecedented event of 2020. Election officers have a hard job. They have to ensure so many details are processed to make sure your vote counts. That takes time.
I hope you'll be back to vote early or maybe you decided to vote on November 3 instead. Either way, now that you know what's up, take some time to make a voting plan. Give yourself time. Pack a snack and some water. Bring a book. Be nice to your election officers.
I hope you vote.
Have a super day,
The lady in the dinosaur cardigan doing her part to save democracy
Reminder: Show your good citizenry! Check out my last post for the details of my Be a Good Citizen project. Use this link to complete a short questionnaire on your good citizen-ing. I'm like the Oprah of rewarding good citizenship: "You get a piece of original art! And you get a piece of original art!"
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