I'm Cancelled
Me: Hi...I'm here to vote
Guy at the "Vote Center": OK, let me just see your I.D. and we'll get you set up (pauses while looking at my I.D.)
Guy at the "Vote Center": I'm afraid you're in the wrong place dear.
Me: What? But I heard on the news last night that they did away with precincts in Colorado this year and any Denver resident can show up at any Voting Center and vote with just an valid I.D.? Plus I walked here from my place. Where else am I suppose to go?
Guy at the "Vote Center": That's true dear. We did get rid of precincts to make voting easier and more accessable to the general population. You are in the wrong place. Please step outside and call this number to see where you need to go.
Me: Huh? (stomps off in a tantrum like fashion reminescent of my childhood)
Me: (to the lady on the phone) Hi! I was just told I'm at the wrong place to vote. Where do I need to go?
Lady on the Phone: (after taking my full name) Well it appears that you have been cancelled.
Me: Hang on a second Mam. (after 60 long seconds) Well I'm sorry to disagree, but my heart seems to be beating just fine at it's usual 58 beats per minute. I'm breathing OK still. I'm pretty sure I haven't been cancelled.
Lady on the Phone: Yes you have. According to you address and birthday, you're cancelled. Please feel free to drive to Golden and fill out an emergency voter application.
Me: No thanks.
Is it wrong of me or does it just seem ridiculous to drive all the way to Golden to vote on issues that I only partially care about in the first place? Is that really an emergency or am I just to complacent about this whole process? There were a couple of issues I wanted to cast my opinion on (Governor's race, a couple of marriage issues, and the judges term limits) but overall it just seems like this whole process is a hassle.
I would say, how can we fairly represent any minority population in an election when even a white, middle-class 25 year old cant cast a vote without devoting a whole day and 20 bucks worth of gas to the whole process? But I wont say that for fear of it seeming like I think I'm entitled to having my vote count more than the minority population. Which it doesn't.
Guy at the "Vote Center": OK, let me just see your I.D. and we'll get you set up (pauses while looking at my I.D.)
Guy at the "Vote Center": I'm afraid you're in the wrong place dear.
Me: What? But I heard on the news last night that they did away with precincts in Colorado this year and any Denver resident can show up at any Voting Center and vote with just an valid I.D.? Plus I walked here from my place. Where else am I suppose to go?
Guy at the "Vote Center": That's true dear. We did get rid of precincts to make voting easier and more accessable to the general population. You are in the wrong place. Please step outside and call this number to see where you need to go.
Me: Huh? (stomps off in a tantrum like fashion reminescent of my childhood)
Me: (to the lady on the phone) Hi! I was just told I'm at the wrong place to vote. Where do I need to go?
Lady on the Phone: (after taking my full name) Well it appears that you have been cancelled.
Me: Hang on a second Mam. (after 60 long seconds) Well I'm sorry to disagree, but my heart seems to be beating just fine at it's usual 58 beats per minute. I'm breathing OK still. I'm pretty sure I haven't been cancelled.
Lady on the Phone: Yes you have. According to you address and birthday, you're cancelled. Please feel free to drive to Golden and fill out an emergency voter application.
Me: No thanks.
Is it wrong of me or does it just seem ridiculous to drive all the way to Golden to vote on issues that I only partially care about in the first place? Is that really an emergency or am I just to complacent about this whole process? There were a couple of issues I wanted to cast my opinion on (Governor's race, a couple of marriage issues, and the judges term limits) but overall it just seems like this whole process is a hassle.
I would say, how can we fairly represent any minority population in an election when even a white, middle-class 25 year old cant cast a vote without devoting a whole day and 20 bucks worth of gas to the whole process? But I wont say that for fear of it seeming like I think I'm entitled to having my vote count more than the minority population. Which it doesn't.
posted by carlymarie | 4:44 PM
4 Comments:
USA, USA, USA, USA!
I voted at my old precinct and then slid into work thirty minutes late where they couldn't do jack about it. Plus all of my candidates won! The system works for middle class, white, males who haven't honestly reported their address changes for four years.
Maybe I've reported too many address changes in the last four years (umm...4 to be exact) and that's why the voting people are pissed. I'm about to log number 5 and 6 within the next 6 months too.
Well you could probably blame Bush for your voting woes. It was probably a well devised conspiracy by the GOP to prevent you from delivering your vote on election day. But, have no fear, now that the Dems are in control of Congress all will be well in the world. Trees will sway in pollution free air, birds will sing in English, and Al Qaeda will send boxes of chocolates with apology letters...
Or you could just follow Nick's track and sneak around the system by not reporting address changes. Reporting address changes for people our age and marital status seems silly anyhow. More often than not we are going to be moving every 9-12 months when we get a new job or our roomie comes down with a case of the M-word. Sigh. One thing a fence won't fix.
Birds singing in English?!?
I'll get right on that.
Post a Comment
<< Home