Taming the Vote
Michelle Malsbury, BSBM, MM
January 16, 2008
As you are all aware, this is the BIG election year and one that promises to bring us change. The elections of 2000 and again in 2004 were overshadowed with problems ranging from hanging chads to voting machines not tallying the votes correctly or in some instances at all. Misconduct was rampant and largely went unchallenged. I hope we have learned from those grave mistakes and are able to hold an election that is both free of bias and open to all who are eligible to vote.
Florida has had some obstacles this election season because we moved the primary up to January 29th which was not what had been outlined by the DNC after the previous election debacles of 2000 and 2004. That said, early voting began this week. On Monday morning I rushed over to the Supervisor of Elections office to place my vote for a president that I hope will heal and unite this country from the divisiveness and dementia the Bush Administration expels.
When I arrived at the office of the Supervisor of Elections I was greeted by two women who person the office. They asked me for my voter registration card and driver´s license. I fished them both out of my handbag and gave them to the elder woman at the counter. She looked them over and looked at me. Then she added that since both portrayed me as a resident of Key West, FL instead of Franklin County or Apalachicola, FL. it would behove me to change both to reflect that I now reside in this community. I informed her that I had voted in Franklin County before and nobody had said anything about either ID, instead they had called the Supervisor of Elections in Monroe County, which is where Key West is, and asked if I was eligible to vote. When the reply said yes, they handed me a democratic ballot and I proceeded to vote. However, this was not to be the case this time around. After this woman hemmed and hawed she kept my voter registration card and told me that they would issue me a new one that would allow me to vote more easily in this county. Then she informed me that I better go out and get a new drivers license in the event that I might get a ticket in this county. To which I replied, I honestly try to do nothing which would warrant a ticket and smiled. She was not to be swayed. After taking her scolding like a school child she did provide me with a ballot for the current election and instruction on how to dispose of it once I had cast my votes. I cast my respective votes and followed her instructions to a "t". I even thanked her when I left, but I cannot imagine why she felt the need to scold me and try to deter me from even voting when this is my right afforded under the Constitution of the United States of America.
I would expect that the persons who staff the offices of Supervisor´s of Elections would offer assistance to everyone wishing to vote. However, I believe that if I had not been so self assured this woman would have invited me to leave and not vote at all. Her stance was such that she was officious and overbearing instead of solicitous or helpful. This was my first, and I hope last, experience with such manipulative and possibly repressive election officials. This behavior should not be tolerated. I had heard the horror stories from Florida and Ohio in previous elections, but had never bore witness to it first hand until now which makes me beg this question. Is this another attempt, as it was in 2000 and 2004, from the vast right wing conspiracy to manipulate or denigrate the votes of the people of the United States of America?
Let this serve as an eye opener and example to everyone who will exercise their right to vote in this election. Do not be deterred by unhelpful and harassing officials who staff those election offices or polling sites, but instead stand united in your right to vote! Let our elected officials know that we are not going to tolerate such harassment from those charged with accepting our thoughtful votes. Let them know that obstructing, blocking, and manipulating our votes goes against the very foundations this country rose against in order that we might become the United States of America.
Please give America back to the people! Help guarantee that our elected officials do not run amuck with the rights afforded all citizens of this great country as the Bush Administration has so thoughtlessly done for the past seven years. Please call of write your local and state representatives and congress people telling them that blocking our votes will not silence our voices for change! The time to act is NOW!
Florida has had some obstacles this election season because we moved the primary up to January 29th which was not what had been outlined by the DNC after the previous election debacles of 2000 and 2004. That said, early voting began this week. On Monday morning I rushed over to the Supervisor of Elections office to place my vote for a president that I hope will heal and unite this country from the divisiveness and dementia the Bush Administration expels.
When I arrived at the office of the Supervisor of Elections I was greeted by two women who person the office. They asked me for my voter registration card and driver´s license. I fished them both out of my handbag and gave them to the elder woman at the counter. She looked them over and looked at me. Then she added that since both portrayed me as a resident of Key West, FL instead of Franklin County or Apalachicola, FL. it would behove me to change both to reflect that I now reside in this community. I informed her that I had voted in Franklin County before and nobody had said anything about either ID, instead they had called the Supervisor of Elections in Monroe County, which is where Key West is, and asked if I was eligible to vote. When the reply said yes, they handed me a democratic ballot and I proceeded to vote. However, this was not to be the case this time around. After this woman hemmed and hawed she kept my voter registration card and told me that they would issue me a new one that would allow me to vote more easily in this county. Then she informed me that I better go out and get a new drivers license in the event that I might get a ticket in this county. To which I replied, I honestly try to do nothing which would warrant a ticket and smiled. She was not to be swayed. After taking her scolding like a school child she did provide me with a ballot for the current election and instruction on how to dispose of it once I had cast my votes. I cast my respective votes and followed her instructions to a "t". I even thanked her when I left, but I cannot imagine why she felt the need to scold me and try to deter me from even voting when this is my right afforded under the Constitution of the United States of America.
I would expect that the persons who staff the offices of Supervisor´s of Elections would offer assistance to everyone wishing to vote. However, I believe that if I had not been so self assured this woman would have invited me to leave and not vote at all. Her stance was such that she was officious and overbearing instead of solicitous or helpful. This was my first, and I hope last, experience with such manipulative and possibly repressive election officials. This behavior should not be tolerated. I had heard the horror stories from Florida and Ohio in previous elections, but had never bore witness to it first hand until now which makes me beg this question. Is this another attempt, as it was in 2000 and 2004, from the vast right wing conspiracy to manipulate or denigrate the votes of the people of the United States of America?
Let this serve as an eye opener and example to everyone who will exercise their right to vote in this election. Do not be deterred by unhelpful and harassing officials who staff those election offices or polling sites, but instead stand united in your right to vote! Let our elected officials know that we are not going to tolerate such harassment from those charged with accepting our thoughtful votes. Let them know that obstructing, blocking, and manipulating our votes goes against the very foundations this country rose against in order that we might become the United States of America.
Please give America back to the people! Help guarantee that our elected officials do not run amuck with the rights afforded all citizens of this great country as the Bush Administration has so thoughtlessly done for the past seven years. Please call of write your local and state representatives and congress people telling them that blocking our votes will not silence our voices for change! The time to act is NOW!
Print
Email
