Fresh when it gets here from
Julie Barrett
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Dang, I forgot to blog about my trip to the polls. I'm in Texas, which is quite possibly the only state in the Union that has the word "Kinky" on the ballot by law:
That was shot near my polling place. I live in an unregarded precinct on the east side of Plano. Some of you may be aware of Plano as a wealthy bedroom community, but my neighborhood is rather interesting. We go from apartments and small houses crammed with immigrants to houses with working class people to large houses that border a wooded creek. We live squarely in the economic middle. This has been traditionally a Republican precinct, but this year I see many more signs for Democrats. This should be an interesting election.
Our polling place is in the gym of the local elementary school. Our election officials are nice folks. I see them election after election, and our judge is a real hoot. He's lived in the neighborhood for years and knows just about everyone. He cares more that you vote then who you vote for.
I was sort of surprised to see a police officer at the polling station, but now that I look back I suspect her presence had less to do with trouble and more to do with the fact that there's a growing Hispanic population here. She may have been there to help translate. (Yeah, I believe that if you're a citizen, then you should speak the language, but I can also understand how someone who is a citizen but has less than stellar English skills may need a little help with the voting machines.)
The polls just closed. The early returns should be interesting to watch. I'll be very surprised if the candidate for which I voted wins, but I voted, and that's what matters.