thatothergirl.com

Election Day!

Today's experience to vote for President was much easier than last time. This time there were far more people out to vote than then. At my regular polling place, instead of only 4-5 privacy voting stands that are normally out for elections, there were 22 and they had opened up additional space. All 22 were full when I was there, which really encouraged me, as Oklahoma questions that were important for the state were also being decided today.
One of these questions was whether or not Oklahoma should join 44 other states and have a lottery benefitting education. In the Bible belt, this is a tricky proposition what with it having the taint of gambling, and having failed before. This time, tho, I think that many more people were open to it, with the Governor actually backing it and putting it on the most high prfile ballot of the year, instead of hiding it on a low voter turnout election ballot like last time around.
Of course, there are always opponents. This time there was a group called "Oklahomans for Good Government" who put out a stupid ad designed to dissuade people from voting for the lottery about a gambling mouse. What the....? Because, really, mice who go thru alleys to get to church can't be trusted to make their own decisions. Somehow I don't really think that will be quite effective enough today.
But, as for the Presidency, I hate to say, but the polls seem too close to call it. And the U.S. residents aren't the only ones closely watching this election. I am right now chatting in a room with 125 people from all over the world in it, all discussing the incoming returns. I cracked up at the description of all this from a friend of mine in Australia:

"You do realise that the rest of the world is looking at america right now in the same way people in a shopping centre look at a small child sitting in the middle of an aisle, playing merrily with it's own shit? we're all hoping it's mother comes along to give it an almighty smack. I mean, australia's not much better, but we just pick our nose and eat it."

I doubt we will have an answer to this tonight, just like in 2000, but hopefully some lessons were learned to make all of the challenges a little bit easier.

Posted by thatothrgirl at November 2, 2004 09:02 PM