I don't know what happened to October- it went by in a blur. I've been meaning since September to make sure I was registered to vote- and to mail my vote in so I wouldn't have to stand in line. Well, today sneaked up on me like a thief in the night. I missed the deadline to register online- truthfully, I thought I was already registered so I wasn't in that big of a hurry.
Long story short- I dropped the ball on being preemptive with voting. I only had to work the one job today, that was lucky. As soon as I got off work I went to city hall. I had originally planned on going to another location (Utah is weird, you can vote anywhere within your county, you don't have assigned poll locations) but I had a hunch I was might not be registered so I went to city hall just in case there were issues. There were issues.
I stood in line maybe 20 minutes when I heard a worker say the line was at least an hour and 45 minutes long. Oi! I took a chance and left my place in line to ask about registration. I was not registered. She gave me the paperwork I needed to fill out and some suggestions of places to go with shorter lines. The one I originally planned on was at the top of the list!
I took the paperwork and headed over there. It was a church.I got there and the line was livable. It was a beautiful day so I didn't mind standing outside. I was also standing next to a super handsome guy- but he didn't give me the time of day- figures. I talked to the other people around me though. We talked about getting a singalong going, but I chickened out.
So I got up to the front of the line, handed the guy my registration form- which was good that I already had it filled out because he had a line of 4 other people who were filling theirs out- so I jumped to the front of that line.
It wasn't quite so cut and dry though. He couldn't find my address. Ummm... it's there. I promise. It's on my ID- the gas and electric companies seem to find me just fine. He had to call the help desk and even when they finally picked up- THEY couldn't find me either. My address doesn't exist, apparently.
While I was standing there some bored little girls took the last of the I Voted stickers. Rotten little kids who weren't even 18 and couldn't vote! ugh! Everyone was a little put out that they didn't get their stickers. Seriously. People would ask for their sticker and be super annoyed when they were told no.
Finally, somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes later, two workers changing jobs, the whole line that was behind me was nearly gone, all the people I'd been talking to had registered, voted and bailed.. Finally they were able to figure out my address. I guess what he needed was to see which precinct I belonged to and no one could figure it out.
I'd had to wait long enough that someone had had time to go to another polling location and get more stickers. They only brought back like, 15, but I got one! They asked if I wanted a sticker and I said, "Heck yes, I do! I waited a LONG time for that sticker!
I got to vote. I'm so happy I did! And it was a lesson to me to get my crap together and do it earlier next time.
As per tradition on Election Day, I watched Disney's One and Only Genuine, Original Family Band. And as always, the speech that Buddy Ebson makes at the end stands out- especially in this somewhat traumatizing Presidential race.
"Apparently the next President of the United States has been chosen and the future... has been settled. And nothing we can do here now is going to change things one iota. I know some of you have been bitterly disappointed. I want to pass along to you something that was told me many years ago by a man whom I have respected and admired more than any man I have ever met. A man who never wavered in his conviction that we here together can build the greatest united country in the whole bloomin' world if you'll just remember one thing. 'There's a time to stand up and fight for what you believe in and there is a time to join hands and work together or all the fighting doesn't mean a thing.'"
If nothing else, I earned the right to complain. Hooray for voting!
2 comments:
You have more faith than i.
All is well, all is well.
Post a Comment