Early Voting–I Did It!

Yesterday morning the Reverend Laura Young, our new pastor at Summit on 16th UMC, gave a rousing sermon about the need to act in ways that will promote healing and unity in our nation, regardless of the results of tomorrow’s Presidential election.  She also spoke about the division of political beliefs within families, which she is experiencing (and so am I).  She stressed how important it is to remember that every single person is a child of God, whatever their beliefs and however they act on them:  we have a duty to act lovingly toward all.

For days I’d also been hearing that many of my friends had already voted early for the election.  So yesterday afternoon, I went to the Franklin County Board of Elections to cast my own early vote.

Proof positive that I did so:

Yep, that is me wearing those stickers they give out after you cast your ballot in Ohio!

And that is Frida Kahlo supervising my bathroom photo session over my shoulder.

I should add that it is 4:30 AM here, a particularly wrinkly time of day! 🙂

When I went to the polls, so did everyone else in God’s Creation–I waited in line nearly 2.5 hours to cast my early vote. This, after being told by my friends that their lines took only ten minutes to get through.  The line I stood in went around three strip malls and into a huge side parking lot, where it snaked back and forth on itself in nine or ten loops.  The number of people standing in line was astounding!

All was not doom and gloom, however.  I really enjoy people-watching, and there were so many folks there to watch! Such a diversity of ethnicities and ages! I will add, though, that I was the only person I saw who had an assistive mobility device–in my case a cane.  Which I was very glad I had brought with me, for all the walking and standing. I don’t always, or even very often, use a cane, but on some occasions it does come in handy.  I have a wardrobe of canes in different colors and patterns.  My favorite is a blue flowered one, but for yesterday’s voting adventure I used my elegant black one.

The other nice thing about standing in line all that time was getting to know the young man standing behind me. Jose Andres is originally from Miami Florida but was transplanted a couple of years ago to Ohio to work for Honda after graduating from School into Real Life. Among other things, he told me that he didn’t think he’d ever really adjust to living in Central Ohio, where in his particular suburb he is surrounded by people from India, whereas in Miami the populace was 75% Latino.  I forgot to ask him how he likes winter here!

Another good thing about standing in line for early voting was being given free bottles of water while we waited in the warm early November sunshine, as well as getting to meet many of the local candidates who were there to greet voters and answer questions. My vote for County Prosecutor actually changed after I learned from Zach Klein that his candidacy was endorsed by President Obama.  Good enough for President Obama is good enough for me!

In sum, my advice is: Vote Early, but maybe not on the Sunday before Election Day!  Unless you like to stand in very long lines.

Or as I’ve heard some pundits say: Vote Early, Vote Often! 🙂