Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts
By Alyce Wilson
November 7, 2006 - Get Out and Vote
This looks like the machine we used
The Gryphon and I got up early and made our way to our polling location, to make sure we could vote.
We were only their second and third voter of the day, and they were still getting their system down.
I briefly thought I was back in Central Pennsylvania when one of the volunteers said, "Let me see where youns are listed here" as she paged through the book of registered voters.
They had replaced the old-fashioned lever machines with something new
that registered the votes by pressing on a pad, where a light came on
to indicate your selection. It was fairly straightforward.
If you're American and you haven't done so already, get out and vote! Here are some tips to think about before you go, from CNN.
Double-check your polling place. If your station has been moved you should have been contacted, but just in case, check with your local elections office.
If you use a web site, there may also be a sample ballot. Making your selections now will save time for everybody at the voting site.
And while you're at it, confirm the hours your local polls will be open today, because they're a little bit different almost everywhere you look.
And finally,
remember to bring along some form of identification, of course.
Here are some sites you might find useful.
Project Vote Smart allows you to find our information about candidates. It is currently, however, experiencing high volume delays.
The federal government provides a guide to voting and elections at FirstGov.gov.
You can read the full text of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 online, along with an introduction to federal voting rights laws.
The main
League of Women Voters site is currently down due to high traffic, but
if you search for the League of Women Voters site for your state, you
can access information about voting in your area. For example, here's
the Pennsylvania League
of Women Voters site.
If you encounter any problems voting, notify your county Board of Elections. You can also alert CNN through their iReport web form. They also allow you to upload photos or video.
Get out
and make your voice heard!
Moral:
Even in Philly, they occasionally say "youns."
Copyright
2006 by Alyce Wilson
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