http://womensvoicesforchange.org/the-only-election-day-post-youll-need.htm Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:14:16 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://womensvoicesforchange.org/the-only-election-day-post-youll-need.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2456 Chris L. Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:44:24 +0000 http://womensvoicesforchange.org/the-only-election-day-post-youll-need.htm#comment-2456 A few notes from my own voting experience today: The door of the house where I live now has a hand-drawn sign, drawn by my father-in-law: NO POLITICAL SOLICITATIONS. GO AWAY. It's been a little brutal, here in the 58th Ward: the commercials are relentless, the mail, the phone calls even more so. No matter your sympathies, the cacophony is hard to take. Today, the vote itself was a little subdued — and a little odd, for someone who has previously voted only in NY and California. Here, instead of the 500-foot rule I'm used to, campaigns can and do post signs right up to 10 feet from the polling place. And I've obviously seen <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6a95ilpUzE rel="nofollow">too many movies</a>: the electronic voting machine, with its paper-looking plastic and only red lights to signify my choice, looked more like one of the old machines at Coney Island than anything 21st-century. Unlike the hours-long lines I know are still happening in downtown Philly, the recreation center where we voted today was busy but not jammed, though its count of 290 by noon ( me, my girl and her parents adding 286-290) still counted as record-breaking. But I'm glad we're now headed into Center City, where election-day energy should be more in force. --Chris L. A few notes from my own voting experience today:
The door of the house where I live now has a hand-drawn sign, drawn by my father-in-law: NO POLITICAL SOLICITATIONS. GO AWAY. It’s been a little brutal, here in the 58th Ward: the commercials are relentless, the mail, the phone calls even more so. No matter your sympathies, the cacophony is hard to take.
Today, the vote itself was a little subdued — and a little odd, for someone who has previously voted only in NY and California. Here, instead of the 500-foot rule I’m used to, campaigns can and do post signs right up to 10 feet from the polling place. And I’ve obviously seen too many movies: the electronic voting machine, with its paper-looking plastic and only red lights to signify my choice, looked more like one of the old machines at Coney Island than anything 21st-century.
Unlike the hours-long lines I know are still happening in downtown Philly, the recreation center where we voted today was busy but not jammed, though its count of 290 by noon ( me, my girl and her parents adding 286-290) still counted as record-breaking. But I’m glad we’re now headed into Center City, where election-day energy should be more in force.
–Chris L.

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