I Voted

On my lunch break I headed over to the precinct to cast my vote. There were only two people at the table being screened to vote. I discovered then that there were people having trouble.

The voter registration cards for one of the people in front of me was brand new but the voter's name did not appear on the precinct roll. While I was voting, I noticed two more people come in with the exact same problem. The resolution to the issue was to send them over to the polling place across the street.

As far as the machines are concerned, it was no problem at all. Well, there was a little problem - but it was with my finger more than with the machine. My finger wasn't fitting correctly on the screen and my desired vote would not highlight. I just had to adjust the way I pressed the "button" and I had no more problems.

I had also heard that you had to press the "Vote" button at the top for as long as 15 seconds to get your vote completed. Not so. I pressed it for no more than two seconds and the confirmation screen appeared to show me that my votes had been tallied.

Bottom line, I kind of liked the new machines -- then again, I am a technogeek.

Oh, my four year-old son voted today. At our precinct polling place, a local businessman sponsored a "Kids Voting" station. While parents were voting, the kids could go over to their own booth and cast their votes. My wife went over with our son and let him cast his vote.

"Here you go, son. Do you recognize any of these men?" my wife asked. The ballots had pictures beside all of the choices.

My son pointed at President Bush.

"You recognize him? Who is that?" my wife continued.

"President Bush," he replied.

"Well, you go ahead and choose the one you would like to vote for.

My son then put his check mark beside the Bush/Cheney ticket.

Proud of you son!