No really, Non-Partisan
I just had the most frustrating voting experience. I am an unaffiliated voter. I don't really care who comes out of the primaries, I'll make my decision about the presidential race at the general election. I went to vote for bond issues. Bond Issues. Fully prepared with my unaffiliated sample ballot, printed and filled in, I went to vote. I'm registered as an unaffiliated voter, but still I was asked how I wanted to vote. Unaffiliated. No, you don't understand, do you know how you're going to vote? Yes, I have my sample ballot here. No, what party? None, I want the non-partisan ballot. General discussion broke out amongst all the poll workers in the room. Does she know what unaffiliated means? Did I know I wouldn't be able to vote for the president if I don't declare a party now? Yes I certainly can! I will vote for the president in the general election. But if I don't consider myself a member of either party, I really don't feel right voting in primary elections belonging to those parties. I'm here for bond issues. Three more poll workers come over to question me. Two say they want to watch when the set up the poll for me, like they're not sure how to do an unaffiliated ballot. One says doesn't she know she can pick a party and skip the votes for president and governor and it would have the same effect? Uh, or I could be a non-partisan voter. Really. Eventually I think they get over their amazement and send me to my poll. In the middle of voting another pollworker comes to interrupt me (in the poll, is that legal?) to ask if they explained to me what unaffiliated means? I tried to give her my most hateful, thanks, I'm not a complete moron look as I explained that I was here for BOND ISSUES!