voting hijinks

So, you'll remember my little screed a couple weeks or so ago about the American public being, by and large, too stoopid for democracy? Here's my polling place story for this election cycle.

Having the lovely, non-traditional work schedule that I do (and can I just, as an aside, say that if I ever had to go back to working 7:30-4 [or 9-5 or what have you] Monday through Friday as I did for so many years, I would probably commit suicide or homicide within six months; this is such a more pleasant way to live) I was able to go vote in the middle of the afternoon. Small-to-no line, no waiting. I was telling the gentleman at the table my street address so he could check me off in his ledger and give me my ballot, when a woman comes rushing up. "Do I need to live in Lynn to vote here?"

The two people behind the table look at her with barely restrained incredulity. "Um, yes, yes you do."

Heavy sigh. "You mean I have to go all the way to Peabody to vote?"

Okay. Let's recap. This woman is not 18 or 22 or under 25 at all. She is over 30. She is also most definitely not an immigrant. Now, I most definitely can't, and shouldn't, be one to throw stones. It's only been maybe within the last ten years that I've become conscientious about voting. Before that I was very laissez faire about voting, the political process, and politics in general, feeling mostly that my vote was meaningless, and the choice was usually between one guy I didn't like and another guy I didn't like even more. I still actually feel that way a lot of the time, but I've changed my mind about voting. I think it's important to do because I can do it, and now I vote in every election. But be that as it may, even the very first election I (probably) apathetically voted in, I educated myself about where I was supposed to go and what I was supposed to do and what my ward and precinct were.

I guess getting out the new voters is probably a noble endeavor, but really, I'd prefer we stick to ones who could be arsed to find out how the whole thing works, y'know? It's not that difficult.

In other election news my dad's pissed at me for voting for Obama, because I was supposed to vote for the former prisoner of war. On no other grounds at all. Because my dad's a veteran. Srsly. See above: American people too stoopid for democracy.

xoxo