Why I Voted Today

Today is Election Day. It's the first time I've ever voted in a non-incumbent presidential election and the first time I've voted in a District of Columbia general election. I waited in line for about an hour and 45 minutes at my polling station in the U Street neighborhood of D.C. The District obviously doesn't have a congressional delegation (that votes) so the real things on the ballot are the presidential election and some council and school board stuff.

I have a pretty snarky comment about the election here, but the real reason I vote is because I believe really strongly in having a pro-choice America. The right has done a lot over the past several years to chip away at the rights of women, and it's really important to me that women have access to contraception and, if they need it, abortion. It's also important that we pass comprehensive health care reform, return to a liberal internationalist foreign policy, look at giving D.C. congressional representation, invest in clean energy (not clean coal), make sure college is affordable, and young Americans get the high-quality k-12 education they deserve. Those all sound pretty broad but they're all good reasons to vote.

The truth is that when we're voting we're looking at making life better for the poorest Americans. The rich folks will be fine. Even if they're worrying about their stock portfolios, the real people we need to worry about is people who have lost their jobs, can't afford health care, and have to cut back because they can't afford groceries or to fill up at the pump. Those are the people we need to worry about.

Image courtesy Flickr user Mr. T in DC, used with a Creative Commons license.

Scary Voting Technology

One thing that experts have worried about it is faulty electronic voting technology. This video reveals that some machines have dangerously flawed programming:



As precincts move away from paper ballots, which can be time-consuming for election workers, it’s important for voting machines to be tested and calibrated to be in proper working order. Although most of the fears about voter disenfranchisement tend to be overblown, it is worrisome to see machines that are making such large errors. The problem won’t be solved just by switching back to paper ballots — plenty of errors happen there too. The real solution is meticulous election board practices. Machines should be tested and in good working order long before election day.

Cross posted at Pushback.

Disinterested Independents

Digby laments the boredom of independent voters -- only 21 percent find the race between McCain and Obama interesting. She says, "I don't know what these people need to make an election interesting. If the huge crowds, new faces, songs, debates galore and huge issues don't do it, I'm not sure what these people want."

Her frustration is understandable. After all, activists have been pumping up voters around the country and Obama appears every now and again in those celebrity rags. But I think we forget that politics is pretty boring to most people. Politics appeals to a niche audience, even if that niche is growing lately.

But for the bored voters, plenty believe that politics is something that happens over there and not to them. A lot of independents also believe that there isn't much difference between the parties. Lastly, the election is still months away. There are plenty of people out there that don't feel any urgency to get informed or gear up for something that's happening in November.

Election Day

Today is election day. It's not a midterm or presidential election year, so turnout is assured to be low. What stands is local and state elections (including the balance of Virginia's state legislature). Sadly, this is the first year I won't be able to vote since I turned 18. I only registered last Friday, and the District of Columbia requires a 30-day advance on registration. It makes me miss my home state of Minnesota, where day-of voter registration was legal.

The Women's Vote

Today Women's eNews has the same kind of story I complained about yesterday in the Globe. It makes more sense in Women's eNews. Today, though, it occurred to me. For once, what women think is really valuable, and candidates are vying for my vote. It's kinda nice for a change.