Getting out my vote
Oct 27th, 2008 by Laura
These days most people in Washington, at least that we know, vote by mail. Last night was my turn and I sat at the kitchen table with a glass of wine to review my ballot and voter pamphlet. There weren’t any local issues on the ballot, those were on the ballot back in August, so it was mostly a matter of figuring out who judges and county candidates were.
I miss going to the polls on election day and casting my vote with many other people. I remember going with my mom when I was a child. They don’t give out stickers when you vote by mail!
Maybe next time I’ll have to drive in and vote in person…
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Have you signed up for the 08/09 Dark Days of Winter Eat Local Challenge yet?
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I’m not so sure we CAN vote in person in WA. I heard that only King and Pierce Counties still had polling stations, and the rest of our counties are vote-by-mail only.
That is a seriously complicated ballot paper… I’m not surprised you don’t go to a booth on the day with a form like that and all the different elections. My last county council election had just two names on it!
Hi, Laura - I see by your ballot that Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente are a choice - the Green Party did not make it on the Idaho ballot! I would have considered them had they been listed. Only 3 other choices were listed besides the “Big Two” - the Libertarian Party, Ralph Nader, and one other - probably the Constitution Party. Idaho does not yet have mandatory mail ballots like Washington, but I think we’re headed that way.
Hey! This is the first time I realised there were more than 2 parties running for leadership! I suppose that means that all the others have a snowball’s chance in hell? It just goes to show how little we hear down here in Australia… I do feel silly
Amy’s right; only King and Pierce counties still have polling places. And Seattle may not have them come the next election, but as long as I have the option, I’m going to walk the five blocks to our neighborhood middle school each election day to cast my ballot.
I’m a precinct committee officer, and as I’ve talked with folks in my precinct I’ve asked the few people who still vote at the polls why they do so. A couple of my neighbors feel that their ballots are more likely to be counted when they vote in person, but most, like me, are fond of the ritual.