A third of electorate could vote before Nov. 4
My Florida absentee ballot arrived yesterday.
{Don’t even ask how I ended up registered in Florida…and my husband registered in New Jersey. That reminds me of last month when I was pulled over by a Maryland trooper for speeding. Jersey tags, Jersey registration, Florida license with a Kansas address…the officer asked why and I said “military.” He said, “Oh.” I got a warning.}
For me, Election Day might be today. Or maybe next week.
{Maybe I should wait until after the debates? Perhaps something will be said which will change my mind about the best choice? Of course, that would mean I’d commit myself to actually watching the debates. I think more Americans watched the Olympics than will likely watch the debates…and I didn’t watch the Olympics.}
The Florida ballot has SIX proposed amendments to the (state) Constitution, including one to require the Legislature to levy a tax to support community colleges. I think that one will be a no. The others, I honestly can’t figure out what they’re trying to say. “delete a provision…to prohibit possession…” I think that means we’re allowing possession, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. When I voted in New Jersey, ballot questions such as these were accompanied by a plain language translation. That was nice.
My Florida ballot is a computerized fill-in-the-bubble form. No more hanging chads. What irked me most about that 2000 presidential election was the attempt to discern a voter’s intent. It’s one thing to count a hanging chad as a vote, but to count the “dimpled” chads was flat-out wrong. And I was most amused by the media’s marveling over ballots with no apparent vote for either candidate. I think we should require ballots to have a “NONE OF THE ABOVE” bubble.
I know it may seem odd to some, but I would rather take the time to vote for nobody than to not vote. I really don’t care who is the North Okaloosa Fire Commissioner, so I’ll probably leave it blank. And if I’m not sure about if my vote will prohibit or allow possession of property to aliens (LGMs?), then I’ll leave that blank too.
But one thing is for sure. Once I fill out this ballot and mail it in, I am DONE. I will cease to pay the slightest bit of attention to politics until the ballots close when I’ll watch to see who wins.
Happy voting.
Reit This Way 
“I will cease to pay the slightest bit of attention to politics until the ballots close when I’ll watch to see who wins.”I am already there and I have not yet cast my vote — I’m just sick of the whole nasty thing! I’ll show up on voting day, but that’s all.
I plan to cast my vote this morning. I prefer to wait in line on election day with other responsible citizens, but better to vote early than not at all! And I have to get tags for our cars this morning, too, with that military non-resident exclusion, because David’s application for an absentee ballot was returned as undeliverable and he’d like to register…without paying $400 in taxes. 🙂
There should be some information online about the proposal(s) and their weird language…
We vote in Washington State. My husband has a Washington drivers license, car is registered in Oklahoma, we live in Md. Gotta love being in the military.We still have family in Washington and I could ask them who is good to vote for, but I am usually the one they all ask so I guess I’ll be doing a bit of research before filling out my absentee ballot.
I like this idea. I wonder if it’s too late for me to sign up for absentee ballot, um… I’m currently registered to vote with my current address (my old registrations were rejected by my home town, and I found I’d been kicked off their rosteres). I’m so excited to get to vote again!
I got MY Florida ballot in the mail the other day too! I’m way up here in Canada and haven’t lived in the U.S. for 10 years now. I’ll call my sister and ask her about who she’d like to win for those firefighter positions, etc. As for President – it’s definitely Sarah and what’s-his-name!
I haven’t decided if I’m going to vote early or not. I recieved my form in the mail yesterday to get my early ballot, but I kind of like actually going to the poll, standing in line (even if my ds is fussy) and at the end of it all, getting a little sticker that proclaims that I did my civic duty. In Arizona, we get a voter’s guide that lists all the candidates and propositions. This is nice, because I get a chance to actually figure out what the props are stating. It’s frustrating that we actually have to be told to vote “yes” if we want marriage to be defined as one man and one woman (like we are voting on here this year) because no one really understands the language.
Got my FL ballot yesterday too…who would’ve guessed 13 different parties have candidates up for Pres/VP??!!
Hi, Michelle,I followed you over from Kristina’s Soapbox. She’s my neighbor. After seeing your icon of Our Lady of La Leche, I wondered if you were a LLL mom or leader? (I’m a retired Leader.) or if you were on the HELLO list? I’ll check back again. Interesting blog.
My county is required vote by mail, I am not a happy camper about it – there’s something ultimately unsatisifing about voting while I pay my bills.
i am writing myself in!r