A piece of democracy died today
Today was a bittersweet day. Before work, I went down to the Issaquah Police Station today. No, I didn't post bail.
I voted. What made it bittersweet to me, is that I voted for what is likely the last time.
No, my commitment to civic responsibility is still intact, so it is not that. King County, where I live, is moving with most of my state to an all mail in ballot system.
And I hate it.
My opposition to mail in ballots is not absolute, for some people it is a necessary process. They have situations that demand an absentee process. But I think for the average person, the 'burden' of driving to a local polling station, signing your name and taking you ballot to a semi private voting table to fill in the ovals, or connect the arrows or whatever, is not such a huge burden.
The people at the polling stations are friendly and utterly committed to the democratic process. In Issaquah, I have yet to see a non smiling face. The attitude is almost festive and the appreciation you feel for being there and being part of the process is very warming.
But the majority of people polled want to vote by mail and as in all things, the majority rules. To me the mail in ballots are just not the same. You fill it out, sign it, lick a stamp and away it goes.
So what if you fill out your ballot a week before the election, and mail it off. You are committed to the choices you made. Then the night before the election, the guy you voted for is arrested for DUI. Can you change you mind? No. That louse still gets your vote. When you hit the polls on election day morning, you have the latest info at your disposal.
Sure, you can mail it the day of the election, but that means the election results are delayed by weeks as they have to wait for the trickle in effect, and the signature verification process is frankly a nightmare.
And need I mention Lt Bryan Suits, whose ballot for the 2004 election still has not arrived. No explanation.
In my opinion, it is like the difference between a fresh grilled hamburger at a family BBQ compared to fast food burger. The BBQ has more then food, it has family, and fun and fellowship. The fast food joint has a drive thru and takes credit cards.
Hooray. Welcome to fast food voting.
Part of my ire is that the issue is being forced. I don't have an option any more. My wife switched to mail in this election voluntarily, as her schedule made it hard for her. I did not. I accept that different people have different ideals.
But I hate the bully aspect of governments.
So to me, today, part of Democracy died: The Polling Place.
I will miss it.
On November 7, 2007 at 2:37 am, Perri Nelson wrote:
The whole notion of mail-in-only voting leaves me with one question. Democrats are usually against requiring any form of photo identification at the polling place, because the cost of obtaining one amounts to a "poll tax". At least, that’s one of the arguments I’ve heard used. How is the postage required to mail in your ballot anything less than a poll tax?
Maybe it’s a bit of a stretch, but I think it’s less of one than calling the fee you pay for a drivers license or state issued identification card a poll tax. After all, the postage you use to mail in your ballot is directly related to voting. If you don’t pay the postage your ballot won’t be delivered. If your ballot isn’t delivered, you’ve been denied a chance to vote for failure to pay a fee to the government.
At least with a drivers license or state issued identification card you can prove you’re old enough to buy a beer. And you don’t hear Democrats claiming that THAT’s discriminatory or racist like they do when you want people to prove they’re who they say they are when they vote.
On November 7, 2007 at 3:06 pm, Deryl McCarty wrote:
You are welcome to move to Pierce County - we still have poll voting and are likely to keep it that way for a while longer. Besides we now have Ranked Choice Voting and that is a thrill in itself.
On November 7, 2007 at 4:07 pm, mongo_mandjikov wrote:
personally i like the notion of mailing in my vote. but don’t you think more people will vote if we go to all mail! yes there will be people who vote on others ballots. my wife give me hers and say " go to town", and i do. she agrees with her choices though and is lucid. some people may not be! what can you do? police everyone? i think we need to police the areas where the greatest harm can be and has been done! THE KING COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE!!!
MONGO
On November 7, 2007 at 6:55 pm, LSU wrote:
Oh no, I wont play the "instant run off" game, sorry.
I will stay with mail in ballots over that any day.
On November 8, 2007 at 12:33 am, Perri Nelson wrote:
Mongo, you do realize that it’s a felony to vote someone else’s mail in ballot don’t you?
On November 8, 2007 at 11:04 am, Red Marilyn wrote:
I vote for the polling booth. The act of going to the polls and voting your secret ballot among your fellow citizens is one of the most important bases of our system.
How could we get voting at polling places reinstated?
In a period of cynicism towards government and more people doubting (rightly or wrongly) the validity of elections results already, why are we moving away from a system that has served us well for over 200 years?
How common and cavalier will someone else voting another person’s ballot become, as seen above?
And if voting someone else’s ballot does occur without the person’s permission, would a Mom expose the violator — her son or daughter, will a husband expose his wife, etc., to preserve their own right to vote risking a felony charge for their family member? I think it’s not likely.
Besides the important issue of the poll tax raised above, does mail voting trivialize the act of voting? Will it become a commonplace thing for more politically motivated people to vote the ballots of the apathetic?
Might voting in exchange for a fee (or goods or services) become more common?
On November 18, 2007 at 5:59 pm, DANEgerus wrote:
95% of voter fraud involved absentee ballots. Unverified ballots are invitations to massive fraud and I know… Oregon has an absentee election.
On November 21, 2007 at 11:40 pm, Be a Good Daughter wrote:
Hello your comment is funny.
I will definitely read your diary..
thank you again
On December 11, 2007 at 4:28 pm, Tramadol sale. trackbacked:
Tramadol sale….
Tramadol sale….