Super Tuesday
February 5th, 2008 | by Scott |“I woke up to the sound of pouring rain.”
Not sure what this will do for election turn-out but, when I showed up at 8:30 after dropping off my daughter, I was the only person there. Nobody was holding signs outside or offering 10 bucks to vote for Ron Paul.
My precinct is the friendly, local Nazarene church that is just around the corner from our house. As I approached the check-in table I was asked my affiliation. You could almost tell that it was a question where the answer is expected.
There has not been a Democrat garner more than 41% in a presidential election here since 1980. The last Democrat to win this state was LBJ. Bush garnered 70% of the vote in ‘04. Needless to say, this is a dark red state and when I announced that I was voting in the Democratic primary the volunteers all jumped on their cell phones and called people with a “sighting.” They brought out the ministers at the church to get a look. They asked me to come back at noon so the lunch voters could see what one looks like. I declined so as to perpetuate the mystique and allure.
But, seriously, it was a highly archaic process. I received two paper ballots. One for President and one for City Commissioner. The opportunity to vote depended on my ability to draw a straight line connecting two ends of an arrow. I’m pretty sure I got it right. I did get to feed my ballot into a machine after that so I finished feeling a little up-town.
It’s been a long circuitous process but I am back to where I began in 1988.
And now, sitting at my desk I am enduring a slow stream of people coming to our building. It seems in years past this was a precinct.
I look forward to a long night tonight as the returns trickle in from around the country. Can I dare to dream that change is afoot?
Yes, I can.
17 Responses to “Super Tuesday”
By Doug Freeman on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Scott, I can imagine how you voted. I have not decided and may not even go vote. It’s kinda like Teddy telling Mary Jo, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
By len on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Change from any of these candidates is a fantasy. Here in Clarksville we have at least moved beyond paper ballots.
By Belinda on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
you made me laugh!
By Tracy on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
A line appearing determines who you vote for? Sounds like a pregnancy test to me.
By Doug Freeman on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Lord, please forgive me, I voted for a Democrat.
By Scott on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
DAD?!? Who?
Are those trumpets I hear?
By len on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Doug, the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.
By Scott on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Don’t listen to Len, dad. Smell the fresh air.
By Shane on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
It’s funny. You and I know we don’t see eye to eye on everything politically, but if it still matters enough to do so on March 5, I am going to vote for Obama too. Out of the “final four,” he is the only one that doesn’t nauseate me to think about making a State of the Union address or representing America’s interests to the world. Now surely, if you and I can agree on a candidate, he’ll win…right?
By Scott on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Change is in the air.
By Larry Freeman on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Scott, I cancelled your vote. LOL
By len on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Doug, please tell me that at least you didn’t vote for her.
By Scott on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
That would be my guess. I know that’s who my brother voted for.
By Jenny P on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Liked your “Yes, I can” ending. Have you seen the video/song put together with pieces from his New Hampshire (Yes, I can) speech? I’m not a huge fan of celebrities endorsing people and the video is full of famous Obama backers, but it is still a pretty cool and well done video. I’m on Obama’s e-mail list and I got it yesterday. I’m sure you can find in on YouTube.
By Mark on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Waffled back and forth between making an anti Huckabee vote or a for Obama vote. Went with Obama.
By greg on Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
Oprah convinced me…
By Scott on Feb 6, 2008 | Reply
Jenny, I have seen it. I find it pretty inspiring.
Gobama.