Yesterday I adhered to my civic duty and voted. These days, they don’t make that simple or easy or quick. It is definitely a deterrent to voting early and often.
First, to vote early on the amendments, one had to drive to who knows where in Brownsville, 25 miles away, so I decided to wait and just vote on the real day and stand in line. After all, what else do I have to do, right? Second, to vote for the amendments I had to wait in the “County” line (not sure why since these were State amendments), show my card, sign, swear I still lived at the same place as the last time I voted and make my selection of the ballot I wanted to use. These ballots are always strategically placed in groups of threes or fives so that the voter gets to choose. If they are all alike what’s the difference? Is it really necessary to pay a person to sit there just to arrange the ballots?
But, that’s not the worst of it. Why is it that everyone who “works” elections is a very, very, very old senior citizen? Now, I know it sounds like I am anti-seniors. I’m not; heck, I’m not all that far behind, and if I live long enough I will join their ranks. And yes, I’m certain I will be even more obnoxious than I am now (no comments are needed in reference to that statement). Besides, while I was an assistant superintendent and working on projects with the city, I even started the senior citizens’ center and served on its board for years—forward thinking, an insurance policy of sorts!
But, like teenagers, there are just some jobs that really old people don’t need to be doing, and working elections is one of them, especially it you want the process to run quickly and smoothly. Perhaps it should be a rule that if you learned your ABC’s before 1930, you can’t work elections. I realize that the ABC’s have not changed since then, but finding them and matching the first letter in a person’s name, might take a little longer than it once did. Of course, that is only one person’s job. The older individual sitting next to the first has the major task of bossing the first person, plus asking the big question about “do you still live at this address?” And even if you tell him before he asks, he repeats the question. That’s his job, and he isn’t about to deviate.
And those amendments!! Who writes those things? How much more complicated can they make them? Why can’t they use blog writers (I’ll volunteer) or better yet, people who “tweet?” Twitter has a rule about how many characters a person can use; why can’t the Legislature? Instead of an amendment authorizing the legislature to “provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property’s value as a residence homestead”… maybe it could just be “Do U want a way to prevent some YoYo from deciding that your house should be taxed as if it were a shopping mall?” Now, that’s something we can vote for!
Then to further complicate matters, the city was having a vote on home rule so I had to stand in line again and go through the same scenario. Since, the city is in the county, wouldn’t you think there could just be a way to compress all this—maybe on the computer or some other new, up-to-date approach. Don’t think so.
Oh well, I accomplished what I set out to do, although I haven’t a clue, even after some study, if I voted the way I really wanted to on the amendments, and home rule is another whole issue. But I voted, and I am pleased I at least have that opportunity. And I’m thinking, maybe, in a few years I can work the election.
Feeling pretty good about getting that chore done, I next went to the grocery store. Exciting day, don’t you think? A little old lady and I mean old, was standing at the fresh vegetable aisle and couldn’t find the basket she had just parked. Two young men, noticing her plight, explained nicely that it was right next to her. She reached over for it, obviously embarrassed. Feeling badly for her and attempting to make her feel better I said, “Sometimes I walk over to the veggies and I forget what I came for.” She turned, smiled, and said, “Yes, we’re getting to that age, aren’t we.” Hell, maybe, I can work the election next year!