Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Vote I Go--UPDATED Scroll Down
I didn't vote early this time figuring mid-term elections and all, the voting would be lighter. I did drive by the early voting spot, the local library, and it was packed every day. Hmmmmm......
Living in one of the most conservative areas of Texas makes me wonder how much impact my vote will make. Ah, well, as Al Gore says, "If someone tells you that one vote doesn't make a difference, remember me." (Everyone in audience laughs.) "I don't think it's very funny," he deadpans.
Not funny for you.....
UPDATE: I went to the wrong polling place. It's a conspiracy!!! Actually, I'm so used to early voting, I've never voted in the regular polling place. So I got redirected, went to my kids school and voted on the new-fangled machine. More about that in a minute.
In the parking lot, one of my son's teachers and I chatted. She noted the same thing: last week early voting was so nuts she was going to vote today at her precinct, but had to call to find out where it was. Teachers, principal, staff all wearing Red, White and Blue. Nice to see them promoting civics.
ON VOTING MACHINES:
Anyway, the machine could not be described as intuitive. No touch screen, had to choose candidates by this little wheel device. It eventually worked, but I wondered about folks unfamiliar with technology. Perhaps I'm just too conditioned by Scan Trons (filling in the little bubbles) or maybe I'm just getting old, but I really like paper ballots best. I like the paper trail. I like the tangibility. I like the ability to say, "Hey, I voted and there was a paper, find it!"
And, I like the idea of purple finger prints, ala Iraq. That would eliminate voter fraud and demonstrate who all the apathetic losers are publicly. Whaddya think?
5 comments:
I agree. Let's ink those fingers! Not as the ONLY security precaution, of course, or there will be a boom in ink-removing solvents.
Alas, Gina,
You're probably right. I can just see it. Instead of exit-polls, you have Democrat volunteers feverishly scrubbing the fingers of voters so they can be bused on to the next vote stop.
Sounds like a good idea. As a software developer who has also done hardware design I have absolutely no faith in computerized elections. If you thought redistricting has the potential to make elections unfair... sheesh. Between the potential for hacking and outright corruption IE buying off the right person at the company who makes the machines or counts the votes. I shudder. The more complex a system is the more opportunities there are to break it for your benefit. Paper ballots = dead simple = fewer potential holes.
kman,
Ocam's Razor, man. Or, for the rest of us KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid.
I have to laugh, though. Wasn't it the Democrats and Broward County in Florida that got the computer thing rolling? I swear, come up with a Leftist "solution" and there are always unintended consequences.
Personally, I'd like that paper like checkbooks where you have an automatic receipt to take with you.
I know what you mean. I like the other way of voting better too. But the computer was not too bad.
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