Election Day 2008. So much will likely be written about this day, but I'll give a snapshot of today from my little view as an Election Judge in once precinct in Colorado. Personally, this day could easily be on the short list as one of the proudest days of my life.
My alarm went off at 4am and I popped WIDE awake. So much excitement! I got to my precinct at 5:30am on the dot and immediately encountered my fellow precinct Election Judges and we scurried around like silly mice following our manuals and the marching orders of our precinct's Supply Judge (the supervising election official). I signed the official Election Judge Oath, I assembled portable privacy voting booths, I hung official signs, and then 15 minutes or so before the polls opened, I was assigned to my fist task: Poll Book Judge.
There ware 5 stations/election officials that voters needed to pass through:
1. Greeter (who ensured they were at the right precinct, weren't wearing any electioneering material, and ensured they had ID)
2. Sign-In (verifying that their ID was on the approved list of forms of ID and for photo IDs verified that their face matched their photo, and having them fill out a sign-in sheet)
3. Poll Book (verifying identity by having each voter state their name and date of birth, ensuring it matched the info in the poll book, having them sign the book, recording whether they were choosing a paper or electronic ballot, recording the ballot style from the poll-book onto the sign-in sheet, and if someone "spoiled" a ballot, recording that they were issued a second ballot)
4. Ballot (receiving a correct ballot style according to the type on the sign-in sheet)
5. Ballot Box (verifying their name on the sign-in sheet and casting their ballot in the ballot box)
If someone chose to vote electonically, steps 4 & 5 are combined with a visit to the Machine Judge
I started at the Poll Book judge station at 7am, and every 2 hours shifted down the line to the next station. There were 2 people alternating as Machine Judges (two people of separate party affiliations), and while I didn't work that station, I did get trained on it while also working in the Ballot Box position.
We didn't have lines, and there were periods of time when we had nobody actively voting because so many people voted early or chose to do mail-in ballots.
At 7pm the polls closed. We took down the signs and disassembled the portable privacy booths. We counted the sign-in sheets. We counted the packets of unopened ballots and the blank opened ballots. We got the official end-tape from the machine, and counted the spoiled paper ballots and the provisional ballots that were in their own special ballot collecting pouch. We knew how many paper ballots we started the day with. The Supply Judge had the official worksheet where we tracked all these numbers. And after everything else was counted and put away, we broke the seal on the ballot box and counted the ballots, each in their privacy envelope. Then we took the ballots out of the privacy envelopes and counted again. The numbers all matched. The total number of sign-in sheets matched the number of electronic plus completed paper ballots. The number of paper ballots we started with matched the completed ballots plus provisionals plus spoiled ballots. Everything matched. We signed the documents verifying the numbers were true and accurate. And I, ME! put the ballots in the special transfer case and witnessed the case being locked. The case was then transfered by two people of different party affiliation riding in one car to the county election office.
It was a long day, an exciting day, an inspiring day. A Day for Democracy.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Neurotic un-pre-travel freakout
I've written before about one of my long-standing neuroses, the pre-travel freakout. Well, I discovered this evening that the pre-travel freakout is not actually limited to pre-travel preparations. The pre-travel freakout usually involves frantically running errands that could easily be done post-travel. The pre-travel freakout usually also involves buying things that are, well, not always necessary.
The pre-travel freakout manifested itself in full force this evening. I'm not traveling anywhere, but tomorrow I'm going to be an election judge for Boulder County. I need to arrive at my precinct at 5:30am and I won't be able to leave the entire day. I'll likely get done on the early side at 9pm, but could be there as late as midnight. Today I ran all around after work running errands and buying snacks. I went to the bank, I went to the Indian Grocery and got movies and snacks, I went to Bed Bath Beyond and got a pepper grinder and a frying pan, I went to Safeway and bought a bunch more snacks...well, actually, a lot more than snacks: a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, a box of cookies, a box of crackers, a box of cheddar bunnies, granola bars, 4 yogurts, 2 bottles of juice, frozen fish sticks, spaghetti, and a jar of mayo. I've hard-boiled eggs, made sandwiches, packed a bag with all the non-refrigerated stuff in a bag, packed all the refrigerated stuff in a cooler bag in the fridge, packed 2 water bottles, and next on my list is pulling together packets of tea and my knitting and some books in another bag. I still need to review my Election Judge training manual, find my calculator, and figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow. I expect my brain won't be functioning too well tomorrow morning at 4am, so I'm trying to take care of as much as I can tonight.
Oh, pre-travel freakout...you'll be one of the things that helps me get into heaven.
Rah-roo? Getting into heaven? Well, my friend Miss J has come up with a fun and faboo new game of asking people what uniquely identifies them. The question really is more like: when they're in line to get into Heaven, what are the things that are really special about YOU that will help the Heavenly TSA identify you since they don't take government issued IDs. (This is not exactly the way she's been phrasing the question, but my own way of asking for the same info).
I've figured out a few of the items that will help the ID checkers figure out they should let me in those pearly gates:
-I use my really good spacial awareness skills to most efficiently load dishwashers
-I love learning languages (French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi), and while I get good at them while I'm actively using them, they disappear out of my brain-hole when I don't use them
-cheese cheesy cheese cheese
-I really like to power-nap under laundry that is warm from the dryer
-my pre-travel freakout is such a cute habit ;)
So with that, I'm off to finish packing my 3rd bag (yes, it seems I have 3 bags to take with me tomorrow!). I'm excited for Tuesday, November 4, 2008...a Day for Democracy.
The pre-travel freakout manifested itself in full force this evening. I'm not traveling anywhere, but tomorrow I'm going to be an election judge for Boulder County. I need to arrive at my precinct at 5:30am and I won't be able to leave the entire day. I'll likely get done on the early side at 9pm, but could be there as late as midnight. Today I ran all around after work running errands and buying snacks. I went to the bank, I went to the Indian Grocery and got movies and snacks, I went to Bed Bath Beyond and got a pepper grinder and a frying pan, I went to Safeway and bought a bunch more snacks...well, actually, a lot more than snacks: a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, a box of cookies, a box of crackers, a box of cheddar bunnies, granola bars, 4 yogurts, 2 bottles of juice, frozen fish sticks, spaghetti, and a jar of mayo. I've hard-boiled eggs, made sandwiches, packed a bag with all the non-refrigerated stuff in a bag, packed all the refrigerated stuff in a cooler bag in the fridge, packed 2 water bottles, and next on my list is pulling together packets of tea and my knitting and some books in another bag. I still need to review my Election Judge training manual, find my calculator, and figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow. I expect my brain won't be functioning too well tomorrow morning at 4am, so I'm trying to take care of as much as I can tonight.
Oh, pre-travel freakout...you'll be one of the things that helps me get into heaven.
Rah-roo? Getting into heaven? Well, my friend Miss J has come up with a fun and faboo new game of asking people what uniquely identifies them. The question really is more like: when they're in line to get into Heaven, what are the things that are really special about YOU that will help the Heavenly TSA identify you since they don't take government issued IDs. (This is not exactly the way she's been phrasing the question, but my own way of asking for the same info).
I've figured out a few of the items that will help the ID checkers figure out they should let me in those pearly gates:
-I use my really good spacial awareness skills to most efficiently load dishwashers
-I love learning languages (French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi), and while I get good at them while I'm actively using them, they disappear out of my brain-hole when I don't use them
-cheese cheesy cheese cheese
-I really like to power-nap under laundry that is warm from the dryer
-my pre-travel freakout is such a cute habit ;)
So with that, I'm off to finish packing my 3rd bag (yes, it seems I have 3 bags to take with me tomorrow!). I'm excited for Tuesday, November 4, 2008...a Day for Democracy.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
democracy, dreams, and dorkitude
yesterday was the full moon, and I wonder if that explains my crazy dreams and crazy sentimentalism the last few days.
I had a dream a few nights ago involving David Boreanaz, the star of Angel, standing over really big Jacuzzi-style bathtub and I was holding his head while he puked. There were other things that happened in the dream, things I remembered yesterday but have forgotten today. I remember there were other bathroom scenes in the dream...maybe we were looking at tile or at fixtures, but there was a lot of bathroom and plumbing stuff going on. Dunno.
And last night I had a really lovely night of live music seeing Jayme Stone and Dar Williams. Both performances were so awesome.
Tonight, after work, I was at a 4-hour training to become an Election Judge. I have an eleventybilliion page manual. I will have to be at my TBA polling location starting at 5:30am on election day and be there until maybe midnight-ish. I was told a 14hour day would be a "get off easy" kind of day, and that I can't leave my location the entire time and I need to bring all the food and beverage I need for the whole day (or have a friend or someone bring me food and beverage...hint, hint) and that I can't have access to my cell phone for the entire time. There are going to be 7 election judges at each polling site and we'll all rotate through the various duties throughout the day and get a fancy title for each position: Greeter Judge, Sign-In Judge, Poll Book Judge, Ballot Judge, Ballot Box Judge, and Machine Judge. I learned all about what it takes to get the polling location set up including hands-on training to set up both the electronic machines and the paper ballot voting booths. I learned about all the security involved in tracking the ballots from their sealed unopened containers to the securing of the ballots that are cast and the unused ballots. I learned about spoiling ballots and Fleeing Voters. Oh, those sneaky Fleeing Voters.
I also want to encourage everyone to find ways to vote early or vote by mail, if it is possible for you in your location. My state has early voting locations available, and I'll have to vote that way since I won't be able to vote on election day. I love going to the polls to vote, and it is the primary reason I signed up to do this Election Judge gig, but after seeing what is involved, I understand why there need to be other mechanisms for collecting voices.
And after the first 10 minutes when I got the shock of "5:30am arrival" and "maybe a midnight end time" and "can't leave the location until everything is finished" and "no Coffee-Run Judge". I said, hey, this is INCREDIBLE! I had no idea how much work goes into making our system run. How much human devotion and dedication is involved in making sure that votes are properly cast, that people are legitimately casting ballots, that people are able to cast provisional ballots in case something is strange, and that NO ONE GETS TURNED AWAY FROM THE POLLS. And that it will be part of my duty to help insure that stays true. That this election is fair and secure and just. I am sitting here typing this, weeping. I'm such a dork. A patriotic, democracy-loving, sentimental dork. I think it is so amazing that we have a voice, that our voice gets counted, and our voices matter. Our opinions matter. And maintaining that integrity is important.
I had a dream a few nights ago involving David Boreanaz, the star of Angel, standing over really big Jacuzzi-style bathtub and I was holding his head while he puked. There were other things that happened in the dream, things I remembered yesterday but have forgotten today. I remember there were other bathroom scenes in the dream...maybe we were looking at tile or at fixtures, but there was a lot of bathroom and plumbing stuff going on. Dunno.
And last night I had a really lovely night of live music seeing Jayme Stone and Dar Williams. Both performances were so awesome.
Tonight, after work, I was at a 4-hour training to become an Election Judge. I have an eleventybilliion page manual. I will have to be at my TBA polling location starting at 5:30am on election day and be there until maybe midnight-ish. I was told a 14hour day would be a "get off easy" kind of day, and that I can't leave my location the entire time and I need to bring all the food and beverage I need for the whole day (or have a friend or someone bring me food and beverage...hint, hint) and that I can't have access to my cell phone for the entire time. There are going to be 7 election judges at each polling site and we'll all rotate through the various duties throughout the day and get a fancy title for each position: Greeter Judge, Sign-In Judge, Poll Book Judge, Ballot Judge, Ballot Box Judge, and Machine Judge. I learned all about what it takes to get the polling location set up including hands-on training to set up both the electronic machines and the paper ballot voting booths. I learned about all the security involved in tracking the ballots from their sealed unopened containers to the securing of the ballots that are cast and the unused ballots. I learned about spoiling ballots and Fleeing Voters. Oh, those sneaky Fleeing Voters.
I also want to encourage everyone to find ways to vote early or vote by mail, if it is possible for you in your location. My state has early voting locations available, and I'll have to vote that way since I won't be able to vote on election day. I love going to the polls to vote, and it is the primary reason I signed up to do this Election Judge gig, but after seeing what is involved, I understand why there need to be other mechanisms for collecting voices.
And after the first 10 minutes when I got the shock of "5:30am arrival" and "maybe a midnight end time" and "can't leave the location until everything is finished" and "no Coffee-Run Judge". I said, hey, this is INCREDIBLE! I had no idea how much work goes into making our system run. How much human devotion and dedication is involved in making sure that votes are properly cast, that people are legitimately casting ballots, that people are able to cast provisional ballots in case something is strange, and that NO ONE GETS TURNED AWAY FROM THE POLLS. And that it will be part of my duty to help insure that stays true. That this election is fair and secure and just. I am sitting here typing this, weeping. I'm such a dork. A patriotic, democracy-loving, sentimental dork. I think it is so amazing that we have a voice, that our voice gets counted, and our voices matter. Our opinions matter. And maintaining that integrity is important.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Politics, Religion, and Love
The themes that have been coming up in my life the last few days are politics, religion, and love.
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment in the morning, and while I was getting my teeth cleaned, my dentist talked and talked and talked. He told me about a book he recently read about the brain and about biofeedback and how the amazingness of the brain must mean that God exists. Then he told me about something he read about one of the first doctors to work on heart transplants and gave me a lot of details about how often our heart valves open 100,000 times per day, and our heart pumps 2000 gallons of blood a day. These are amazing things that couldn’t have evolved, so God exists. I’m glad my mouth was full of fingers and equipment, and all I could muster was "huh". This was enough to encourage him to go on and on about what it was like to be in his early 20s when the war in Vietnam was occurring. I got to hear all about his opinions on the draft, on what it was like to know people who went to the war, who didn’t come back, who came back changed. How he can’t see how the fighting in Iraq will ever stop.
Later in my day, I picked up supplies for my Friday night Jennietime. I went to my favorite Indian grocer and got 2 movies and some samosas. While I was waiting for my DVDs, I was chatting with the storekeeper. I hadn’t been in for 2 weeks, and Raj was asking me where I’d been. I told him I had been at a meditation retreat in the mountains. He asked me about my meditation practice, and whether or not I was a Buddhist. When I explained that I’m not really Buddhist, but I do meditate, he was confused. I told him I work at Naropa, and he seemed to understand. This started a conversation about religion. "Life is meant to be happy," he said, "Be good to other people, and be happy. That’s religion."
Last night I stayed at my best girl Dol’s place and acted as dogsitter since neither she nor her boyfriend were going to be home Friday night. My movies wouldn’t play in her DVD player, so I ended up watching a lot of Sex in the City. That show seriously makes me want to drink more martinis (which I haven’t done in months), smoke cigarettes (which I don’t do at all), buy new shoes, and think about relationships.
Today while doing laundry, I watched Nishabd, a visually gorgeous movie that really creeped me out. One of the main characters was portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan, who I adore. The tagline "He is 60. She is 18. some love stories aren’t meant to be understood." I’ve certainly seen my share of relationships that I don’t understand...
Yesterday I had a dentist appointment in the morning, and while I was getting my teeth cleaned, my dentist talked and talked and talked. He told me about a book he recently read about the brain and about biofeedback and how the amazingness of the brain must mean that God exists. Then he told me about something he read about one of the first doctors to work on heart transplants and gave me a lot of details about how often our heart valves open 100,000 times per day, and our heart pumps 2000 gallons of blood a day. These are amazing things that couldn’t have evolved, so God exists. I’m glad my mouth was full of fingers and equipment, and all I could muster was "huh". This was enough to encourage him to go on and on about what it was like to be in his early 20s when the war in Vietnam was occurring. I got to hear all about his opinions on the draft, on what it was like to know people who went to the war, who didn’t come back, who came back changed. How he can’t see how the fighting in Iraq will ever stop.
Later in my day, I picked up supplies for my Friday night Jennietime. I went to my favorite Indian grocer and got 2 movies and some samosas. While I was waiting for my DVDs, I was chatting with the storekeeper. I hadn’t been in for 2 weeks, and Raj was asking me where I’d been. I told him I had been at a meditation retreat in the mountains. He asked me about my meditation practice, and whether or not I was a Buddhist. When I explained that I’m not really Buddhist, but I do meditate, he was confused. I told him I work at Naropa, and he seemed to understand. This started a conversation about religion. "Life is meant to be happy," he said, "Be good to other people, and be happy. That’s religion."
Last night I stayed at my best girl Dol’s place and acted as dogsitter since neither she nor her boyfriend were going to be home Friday night. My movies wouldn’t play in her DVD player, so I ended up watching a lot of Sex in the City. That show seriously makes me want to drink more martinis (which I haven’t done in months), smoke cigarettes (which I don’t do at all), buy new shoes, and think about relationships.
Today while doing laundry, I watched Nishabd, a visually gorgeous movie that really creeped me out. One of the main characters was portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan, who I adore. The tagline "He is 60. She is 18. some love stories aren’t meant to be understood." I’ve certainly seen my share of relationships that I don’t understand...
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