Friday, March 7, 2008

My day at the polls

I was incredibly busy on Tuesday, as usual, but I made time to go to the polls to "do my duty" as a citizen of Ohio. I had already been somewhat lax in this duty because, I confess, I went to the polls without any idea of what would be on the ballot.

On the table were three pads of paper ballots: a pink one, a green one, and a white one. After standing in line for a long time behind a senior citizen who seemed unsure of her current address but knew she was a Republican, I signed and presented my ID, after which I was asked my party affiliation.

"I'm Independent!", I replied provacatively.

"Oh! Really? then you'll get an issues-only ballot."

The woman ripped the very first ballot off the white pad, which had been set to the side, and handed it to me. It was huge - definitely bigger than 11x17 - and it was almost totally blank! She asked me if I needed help and I laughed, showing her the ballot. "There's only one question!" I replied. So I took the ballot to the booth and looked at it. The question read:

"A proposed tax levy of 4.9 mills for... the general fund of Cuyahoga County Dept. of Health and Human Services...."

So I voted Yes under the reasoning that I'd rather the county get my money than the Feds. Not sure how they'd spend it, of course.... but that's fine print for another day.....

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