Friday, October 17, 2008

I have totally already voted!

I don't know what's holding up you slackers, but my (absentee) ballot is already in the mail.

My neighborhood "get out the vote" efforts weren't too impressive though. I have only one American colleague, and he spontaneously reminded me weeks ago to register and vote. So he gets to count me towards his "get out the vote" efforts, and I don't get to count anyone...

Oh well, I hope the rest of you guys do better. ;^)

16 comments:

Aerin said...

Good for you chanson!

There's a handful of things on our local ballot that I need to look into before I vote. My state is actually one I could vote early if I wanted to.

This year, unlike previous years, I don't know anyone who is not voting. Even the anarchist/communist friend I have who doesn't like to vote in prinicple is voting this year. Even the people who couldn't figure out how to get themselves to a registration office to register to vote - I think they're even voting.

Maybe the U.S. will have more than a 45% turnout this year.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Aerin!!!

I hope so!!!

Whatever one's opinion of our current electoral/party/voting system in general, I think this particular election is critical.

Craig said...

I wish I could vote SO MUCH. In any country for that matter.

*sigh*

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Craig!!!

You can't vote in Canada?

Eugene said...

Utah will go for McCain by a zillion points, and Utah County is the most Republican district in the country. I consider it my duty to vote for all the Democrats on the downticket because they should get a vote from somebody other than their mothers.

But I'll vote for Jason Chaffetz (he'll win by a zillion points too) because he unseated Chris Cannon in the primaries (no scandal involved!), and anybody who can unseat an incumbent in a safe district (Cannon outspent him 6-1) has my respect.

As for the top of the ticket, a pox on all their houses, so maybe for the first time in my life I'll throw my vote away on some ridiculous third-party candidate.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Eugene!!!

Yeah, I imagine living in Utah County takes some of the mystery out of how the local elections will go. Sounds like the real battle is at the primary level.

Varina said...

I just voted Tuesday, but I considered waiting for my sample ballot in Vietnamese. Ballots in Texas are printed in English and Spanish, but there are enough Vietnamese speakers in Harris county (Houston) that the commissioner sends instructions for getting a ballot in Vietnamese, the funny part is that these instructions are printed in Vietnamese and English.
If you ever want to really amuse your Swiss friends try explaining to them that America has no official language and that any citizen can have any document in any language if they want, but this does nothing to affect the quantity of rednecks saying "they came to America they should learn to speak English damnit!". Then explain that the only government document allowed to be made exclusively in English is the citizenship test. Insert headexplode of your multilingual friend here.

Strangely my get out the vote efforts were effective since I know a gaggle of American au pairs to whom I explained how to request their absentee ballots.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Sabayon!!!

Great job!!! :D

Yeah, I think a lot of language laws are kind of piecemeal and confusing...

Craig said...

No I can't. I've been voluntarily out of the country for more than 5 years, so I'd have to move back to vote. Of course, it wasn't really voluntary as I was 13 at the time, but it still counts. So I can't vote anywhere right now.

Anonymous said...

My absentee ballot is also in the mail. I voted for Obama/Biden and I voted No on 8. The rest of it was just details, albeit important ones.

This has been a tough entry into American politics. Not sure if I'll ever do it again because it's been so upsetting to see the extraordinary ugliness of America in full peacockian strut. I'm looking forward to this all being over so that I don't have to keep seeing Palin's face everywhere I turn.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Craig!!!

Wow, that's too bad. You're not thinking of going back to Canada?

Hey Tom!!!

I know how you feel.

Michael Carpenter said...

I mailed in my ballot on Monday. Book it. Done.

Now, if I could just skip all the political commercials on TV, all the newspaper ads and articles and get my co-workers to shut up about it I'd be in great shape!

Craig said...

Yeah, I do want to move back, but first I have to finish university. At least another year. Blech.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey mcarp!!!

Yeah, I'm ready for it to be over too!

Hey Craig -- hang in there!!!

Anonymous said...

I took my ballot down to the County Clerks office Friday. It actually felt good filling the thing out. Especially the part where I got to vote against the initiative proposed by the local Religious Right. :)

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Paul!!!

Yay!!! Let's hope it goes well!!! :D