vote

[fearlesstemp]

Voted! I recommend it as an experience. It's very satisfying to click those levers into place and hear the mechanic CLANK of your vote registering, and know that when you look at the final tally (whenever the final tally is done), you will be able to think, "Well, if not for me, it would have been XX,XXX,XX7 for my guy instead of XX,XXX,XX8! Go

Comments

[lawgeekgurl]

I miss the big hulking machines with the dozens of little levers and the big satisfying CLUNK it made when you pulled the handle. We have optical scanning, which means basically a big scantron sheet. I felt like I was taking a test. "What if I go outside the lines! What if I make a mistake! I can't erase this! aaaaah!"

my brother is voting Republican. Our family is mindboggled by this, but we forgive him because he works for a defense contractor and has probably been brainwashed. :)

[fearlesstemp]

Scantron! I haven't thought about those since, well, I can't remember when. Whenever I have to fill them out I get nervous too, and hear the voice of my third grade teacher saying, "Make your mark heavy and dark."

Ah, memories. As for the CLUNK machines -- I love them and never want to part with them, but as I walked out of the polling place I did pause for a second because there's really no paper trail for them. Or at least none that I (as a voter) can see.

Condolences on your brainwashed brother, also.

[suzy_queue]

LOLOL The phone call with your Aunt sounds a lot like the conversation I had with my mom. <.g> But it ended up being a good discussion once I got past the "WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" bit of it. <.g>

[fearlesstemp]

Mine settled down after the initial histrionics too, but I don't think it changed her mind. I seriously don't know how people in swing states do it -- I'm all twisted up inside about my aunt and grandmother's votes for Bush even though they didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, since we live in New York State. I don't know what would happen if we were in Ohio!

[ladulcinea]

We have push-button thingies here. No clunk :( Only my paranoia and quadruple-checking all my green-lit arrows to make sure they're in the right place before I push the final button to send my vote omg the pressure!

[fearlesstemp]

The pressure!! I always have to double- and triple-check too. Can't be too careful and all that.

[krabapple]

Literacy volunteers! Go, Jess!

Anyway, I know I'm used to work with the 6-9 year old crowd in this area, but if you need anything literacy related, let me know. I've got a ton of materials and some knowledge in the area (one would hope), and I'd be happy to help out of you need anything.

Also, voting! Woo! Except that NY didn't send me my ballot, grumble, grumble.

[krabapple]

work=working

*sigh*

So much for my own literacy. :)

[fearlesstemp]

I read that about your ballot earlier this week! That totally blows.

And thanks so much for the offer re: literacy -- I may have to take you up on it, because I feel pretty clueless a lot of the time.

Also: I love both of the icons in this post. Satchel!

[krabapple]

I know, stupid King County Board of Elections. (And why is it that Queens County is actually called Queens as a borough, but Kings County is, well, Brooklyn? I'm constantly fascinated by the inane questions in life . . . :)) I'm placing bets now on whether it will ever show up. Mine personally is that it WILL, only, you know, it doesn't matter so much anymore. :)

I'm happy to help you out any time. Just let me know. I really admire both you and the man you tutor; it's got to be hard to go that far in life not reading, and then say: Hey, I don't care how old I am, I need and want to do this, and I'm not going to be embarrassed about it. That rocks.

And thanks re: the icons. I know H/HR will never happen in canon, and I'm not super attached to it, but I like being all defiant every once in a while. :) And as for Satchel! He's Satchel! Cute puppy!

[sinsense]

We still have the CLUNK machines, too. I remember going to the polls with my mother and thinking that voting was SO COOL, because you got to pull things around and hit levers, and it was like a dump truck! Dump trucks basically defined cool for me at that age.

I think you're doing a fabulous job for your student by caring. That's half the battle, and if he puts in the effort, you'll be fine.

[fearlesstemp]

I used to go with my mom and dad too! One parent would take my brother in and the other would take me, and if I close my eyes I can see it: looking up while my dad hit a bunch of levers all in a row, so fast it didn't seem like he was making a decision at all. Now I know he was just voting the Democratic ticket, like I do every time.

[sinsense]

I am sending you far too many LJ replies all at once; my apologies. My mother used to smush the levers down all at once with the side of her hand, which I found unbelievably hilarious. Still do, actually.

and

[fearlesstemp]

Thanks so much for the comments about my tutoring thing -- last night went well, but it's still a little worrisome. I don't like responsibility! I avoid it at all costs! Hence the crazy temp lifestyle.