Voting culture

Maggie says:
During previous elections, I've been shocked at the utter singles vibe many polling places have going on. I swear some folks get ready to vote with the same gusto as they would for a date. And when you think about it, you do find a target demographic hanging out around voting booths (politically-aware, hopefully intelligent). I've heard more than one happening single in this town comment that Election Day is the hidden gem of a political junkie's dating calendar. Who knew?

This morning, though, the polls were not exactly jumping down at Washington Middle School. Could be that this is a just a primary vote - although as some point out, primary excitement is where it's at. Could be the heat. Whatever the case, the turnout I saw today was less Seasons and more senior. I did meet two fabulous elderly women there as we navigated Washington's parking lots and sidewalks to find the hidden rear entrance to the voting location. By the time we made it we'd already broken a sweat, and Mary wondered why she didn't just volunteer to work the polls and hang out in the air conditioning all day.

Poll-watching begins tonight at 7:00. Even in the smallest of races, it's always a rush for me. My election nights began with me listening to NPR in my teenage bedroom while my dad eyed the local TV stations downstairs, each of us shouting the latest updates to each other. Then they progressed to college and the delights of cable, where I immersed myself in the joy of watching meaningless filler for hours before the polls closed, just in case something interesting broke. I've given up cable since then, but the Internet fills the void. Remember last fall, when I freaked out watching the County Clerk's numbers update live (across from Mikaela at Flying Star, no less, who was just horrified at my obsession for refreshing the page)? It was so bad I had to post poems the next day to feel better about it all.

It's a select crowd, those of us eagerly anticipating the results of the Secretary of State race and interested in dissecting every campaign, no matter how small. A self-selected crowd, of course. Some of you probably have fun, exciting plans on tap for tonight. But to the rest of us, nothing could be more fun than watching Monica Aragon talk about the County Assessor's race or Cynthia Izaguirre tell us how few people came out to vote.

PS: Isn't that image great? Apparently it's from an actual get-out-the-vote campaign... in Nebraska!