Early Voting Report -- Next Time Vote Earlier

I went to the Board of Elections to vote Monday. I filled out my paperwork, did the last four digits of Soc. thing and waited. Throughout the time I was there, people cycled in and out, but the census hovered at around a dozen. People at the desk said each day is busier than the last.

They took my info and bade me sit down. After a few minutes, the guy waiting on me told me that the ballots set aside for early voting from my precinct are all gone. They had to go to "the vault" (insert Seinfeld joke here) to get one for me.

Some time after that I was again summoned up front to be informed that they couldn't get a ballot ready for me for at least a couple of hours. They offered to send two employees -- one from each party -- to my house with the ballot the next day. By my calculation that would probably have meant two work hours spent on little old me. It's in my interest that those work hours be spent making the whole election run as well as possible so I promised to come back. They were going to call the next day when the ballot was ready, but it turned out the call came later that day.

As life would have it, I was pretty much tied up with kids until today. I went back, waited another 15 minutes or so in a room now crowded with 20 or so early voters, and got my ballot. In the meantime I chatted with Judge Eve Belfance, and as I left I ran into Psychobilly's Horsewhisperer.

So all-in-all a positive experience. FranklyI spent considerably more time than I would have voting in the usual way, but of course it frees me up for Election Day. I'm pleased that so many from my precinct have taken advantage as it's somewhat D-leaning.