GOTV

GET. OUT. THE. VOTE.

Before I begin the recounting of my anecdotal weekend, I thought I'd spread a little election season cheer and share the story of my second experience exercising my right as a resident of the U.S. to vote.

It hit me sometime in the middle of last week as I prepared for the coming days that I needed to make sure that I had everything in order for the upcoming election and the traveling that I will do for the holidays. So I checked my voter registration card and everything appeared to be ok until I turned it over and read the following:

"If you registered to vote by mail and this is your first time to vote in a Federal Election in Texas, you must present a form of identification. Please check www.suchandsuch.com to verify acceptable forms of identification."

So naturally I freak out and head to my local DL office to get my very 1st Texas Drivers' License. The problem(s) with this?

1. My current drivers' license from NC is expired so I have to take both the written and driving tests. (Seriously??? I'M 25!!! And have had no accidents or tickets EVER!)
2. The lady doing the driving tests was out until 2 and they don't schedule driving tests beyond 3:00pm. How ridiculous is that?!?!?!?

So I spent the better part of my lunch hour applying for my license and still didn't have it when I left. For the rest of the day and evening, I was worrying about 2 things.

1. What if the poll workers ask to see my driver's license?
2. What if the line is miles long and have to wait for hours to vote?

Well, let me calm your nerves now. Neither happened.

Hurriedly, I drove out to my polling location on my lunch break as I had seen on the morning news that there were lines HOURS long on the East coast. I figured if the line was too long now, I'd just come back after work when I had unlimited time. But, as I pulled into the parking lot of the church that my precinct was assigned to, much to my surprise, there were all of 3 cars in the parking lot. I then proceeded to enter the church into a small room (the size of my living room & kitchen) set up with a few tables, cardboard voting partitions, and numerous little old ladies. And I basically just walked right up to the check in table since there was NOBODY in line. As I checked in, the precious elderly lady who verified my name/address said to me, "You just look so put together with your blouse and your bracelet and your bag. You look so together."

And just when I thought all poll workers were stuffy and only concerned with politics. Luckily they're just 'poll' workers and not 'pole' workers. Ha!

So I cast my PAPER vote (ah, the joys of living in the country) and inserted it into the machine and left. Voting is so different here-I had a long wait in the 2004 election in Cleveland and I voted electronically so the whole paper thing was new to me. Rural Farm Town, Texas is quite a step back from Cleveland, Tennessee. But I'll take it for now.

This whole story may seem pointless to many of you but I write it to note that even though I've lived in Small Town, Texas for over a year now, I still haven't lost my 'big(ger) city' thinking. It takes lots of adjustment for this country living.

Blessings y'all,
(yeah, I'm city but not that city)

Bethany :)