brief snapshots in time. memories and thoughts. disorganized and random.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

democracy at it's finest worst

I just stood in line for 2 hours and 15 minutes to spend 2 minutes in a booth, push a few buttons, and be part of the democratic process. Seriously.

Denver has changed their Precincts over to "Voting Centers" to make "for a swift, convenient voting experience." Yes, that's what they said.

Swift? Convenient? Swift and convenient is how it used to be. I used to walk TheDog a few blocks away, park her outside, walk in, vote and walk back home. I'd be home before 7:15.

This morning I drove to the nearest voting center early, got there 10 minutes before the polls opened. And yet it wasn't until 9:15 that I was on my way to work.

And yes, there was a long ballot this year, but that certainly wasn't what was causing the delays. When I got to the room with the polling booths, half were empty. Were they working? Yes. It was the need to look up every single voter's precinct and appropriate voting districts on a very few laptops that was holding everyone up.

Perhaps allowing voters to vote in more convenient locations is a good idea, but the method by which it is being done today is definitely not. Things need to change. Perhaps put the voters precinct information on the green card they mail to every regiustered voter. Then they'd only have to look up a few voters' information, those who had change of addresses or forgot their cards.

I think the long wait caused by this new method throughout Denver will definitely affect voter turnout. Can the average voter really afford to spend 2 hours in line to vote? What happens when the backlog becomes even greater? Will those who show up at the voting centers at 6:55 tonight even be voting on election day?

It could be interesting. But it is definitely a disgrace.


Had to vent, more tales of my travels when I simmer down.

3 comments:

Amy said...

I know it is frustrating, but try to keep it all in perspective. There are countries where they will stand in line for days just for the privilege of finally being able to vote for the leader of their own country. We are a privileged class, we Americans, and we need to remember the rest of the world doesn't have it nearly as easy as we do to affect the way our nation is run.

kt said...

that's why i vote with an absentee ballot. although this year they didn't mail it to me and i stood in line for 2 hours last friday for early voting. it sucked.

ramblin' girl said...

ah, but kt, I love actually going to vote. it's just they fixed something that wasn't broken and completely screwed it up!