My dear brothers, sisters, readers of Reason Rest Stop and only friends, history is upon us today as General Election Day 2016 has arrived! I awoke early to a rainy, drizzly but at least not a cold morning. I got ready and dressed and made my way over to my voting precinct, which is literally just across the street from my house, doing my best Saturday Night Fever strut all the way. I rounded the building which houses the polls only to find 30+ voters already in line ahead of me at 6:45 AM. A dozen or so more fell in line behind me before voting started at straight up 7 AM. Knowing this whole ordeal was just minutes from being over I couldn’t help doing my best poll dance. I must admit that my fellow Precinct 163 voters did not seem amused.
Some of my regular readers will be pleased to know that all in-person voters in Oklahoma must now show a government issued photo ID. Just after 7 AM when it was my turn to step up to the table where the poll worker was sitting with the precinct voter roster, I showed her my U.S. Naval Reserve Retired ID and my Oklahoma State Election Board issued voter ID card and she opted to examine the latter. She found my name on the precinct roster and I penned my signature next to it. She handed me my three-page ballot (one page of candidates on one side, state questions on the reverse and a third page for Tulsa City Council) and a pen and I found a vacant carrel to do my voting business. I always love to see that proud Democratic rooster in the straight ticket voting block.
True to form and very like Michael Moore described in his most recent documentary, I had to hold my nose then use one hand to guide the other to mark the block next to the names Hillary Clinton and Timothy Kaine. I would not describe this action as traumatic but I really did feel the urgent need to take another shower afterward. The rest of the experience was pretty much uneventful. As I approached the ballot box, the place really began to fill up with voters. I wanted to ask the young, hot poll worker for a quick dance but there simply was not time given the number of voters in line, which by that time (7:15 AM) was backed up clear out into the parking lot.
I know there may be some reading this who believe that their vote really does not matter. I beg to differ. Every single vote really does matter! Failing to exercise your voting right, for what ever reason, makes you derelict of duty in a Republic. Democracy only works if all citizens participate. We Americans have had to work long and hard to refine our process to ensure all people have access to voting. For better or worse, our system still functions the way it should in spite of baseless charges of being “rigged.” That assertion is material for a whole other discussion which we will have eventually but for the here and now our esteemed American experiment is working as intended: everything works and nothing is certain, at least in Oklahoma. If you have not made that trip to your polling precinct please do so before 7 PM today. Hey, I can vouch that if you do a little poll dance they won’t kick you out of the place. Here are some basic instructions:
When you make that trip to the polls and find yourself with just your ballot, marking pen and thoughts, if ever vexed over which candidate to endorse with your mark just remember this simple rule:
Now, take a friend with you and make that historic trip to cast your vote today, November 8th, 2016 before 7 PM. You won’t regret it.
I am a new precinct official today, and my fellow precinct officials and I have been busy, I am so happy to be able to say. So many people see that their voice is important, and the right to vote is, indeed, precious. So far, mild grumblings about some waits, but all appreciate that we take time to verify each voter’s identity. May this be so everywhere!