Tuesday, November 4, 2008

I've Been Dissed (Disenfranchised), Yo

So when you hear today about Kenton County, Kentucky having eSlate electronic voting machine problems...that's my county, y'all. And that's the type of machine I voted on this morning after waiting in line an hour.

I love it when we make the news. And I really love it when I hear that my vote may not have counted.

The Cincy news sites are saying that those votes will be counted even though the machines have been shut down, but I can't help but worry. I double-checked my ballot and everything looked right, and I am not one to select a straight ticket on principle. But knowing that the machine I cast my vote on this morning has ceremoniously been unplugged for "irregularities"...yikes.

At least my mom's vote will count--I took her to the polls after I had voted (and sat in envy when she only had to wait in line 5 minutes at her tiny little precinct) and saw that the only machine available to her was one of the older machines (in our county, they don't have paper ballots as an option, thus the long lines for one or two machines.) And Jason said he voted on one of the older ones.

So there's that to comfort me.

But I can't help but think...is this really the best we can do? When everyone knew turnout would be 80%?

Only in Kentucky.

Holler back, kids. How long did you have to wait? And are you, too, possibly disenfranchised?

Blurg.

2 comments:

Robert K. said...

Waited in line for about 90 minutes, when I had never had to wait longer than 10 before. Luckily the church took pity on all us poor line-standers and opened up the sanctuary so people could sit down in the pews. I was a little nervous, but no lightning bolts. *grin* Heard about some voting machines going down in the city, but everything seemed to be going smoothly in my precinct.

radiantfitness said...

I couldn't sleep, and neither could the kids (way to share my anxieties with the offspring). We got to the Verona polling place at 6AM and voted half an hour later (well, I did. They stood there and got stickers).

I have writing to do. I have work to do. But I'm going to stay here and watch Couric, Shields and Gigot all night instead.