I Voted

 Before I talk about voting, I just wanted to show you how beautiful it is here at the moment:

It's so beautiful that I popped that photo in as my new header photo.  This is truly my favorite time of year.  The photo was from my walk around the retention pond this morning.

But let's get to the topic of today's blog post.  Wednesday, October 7, 2020 was the first day I could vote near me.  I woke up that morning with an unshakeable feeling that I needed to vote that day.  I could have waited and still voted early around the 19th at the community college near me, but I really felt like I needed to go and vote on the 7th.  

So I did.

I got to the courthouse at 8:30, which is when the polls opened.  The line was already halfway around the courthouse.  Everyone was masked and social distance was observed.  After quite awhile in line, I was nearly at the walkway up to the entrance, but we hadn't moved in a very long time.  An election judge came out to tell us that there was a software issue that happened at every courthouse location regarding an incorrect date in the system.  The only way to fix this was with a software update and they had no way of knowing when that would happen . . .  So, after an hour in line, I left and decided I would try again either later or the next day.

I could not shake the feeling that it was extremely important that I voted on the 7th, so I called the State Board of Elections that afternoon and was told that everything was working again.  With my conviction to vote that day as strong as when I had awakened that morning, I got back in the car and headed back to the courthouse.  I got there and got back in line at 2:30 and spent about another 2 1/2 hours in line, but was finally able to cast my vote.  Nearly all the waiting was outdoors, and I was masked the entire time, as were the vast majority of the people around me.  People were orderly and there were plenty of Sheriff's police there in terms of security.  

They were taking us in to the courthouse in groups of 6 at a time.  So when it was finally my turn, I put my gloves on, my temperature was taken, and I went through security (the voting location was a courthouse - everyone goes through a metal detector in Chicagoland courthouses), and waited just a little while longer.  I was back in my car about 5:10 a little worse for wear and with very sore feet and legs, but my vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is cast.

I made it back to my car, opened the door and stripped off my gloves, tucked them under the front seat, and used hand sanitizer on my hands.  I used a little more and wiped down my leather ID wallet and my "I Voted" sticker, got in the car and headed home.

If early voting is available in your state, I encourage you to do so.  I have never waited in line so long to vote anywhere in my entire voting life.  So, bring a chair if you're not able to stand for long stretches at a time.  While I was in line I saw plenty of people simply dropping off their mail-in ballots to the special box that was there for them rather than trusting them to our partially gutted postal system.

Figure it out NOW.  Have a plan to vote.  Have a backup plan.  This is the most important election in our collective lifetime. 

VOTING IS HOW WE CHANGE THE WORLD.  

VOTING IS HOW WE REBUILD OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY.

PLEASE VOTE.