I voted today, did you?

I’m always so proud of myself when I tromp over to whatever VFW hall or public school cafeteria is hosting my polling place and do my duty as an American. So much more thrilling than voting absentee, but that’s better than nothing.

Two differences between voting in New York and California:

1. In New York I got to play with a machine that looks like it was invented in 1913. You pull a huge red lever to the right, vote by clicking a switch, and then pull the lever back. It felt very Vegas, except several decades behind in technology. An actual mechanical voting machine! Can this possibly work?

For eight years I voted in Santa Barbara, one of the richest counties in the nation, and they used optical scanning, which is the most reliable and most expensive type of voting device. It’s like taking the SATs—you get a piece of paper and fill in the bubbles with a felt tip pen then slip it into a machine. No satisfaction of a big ol’ curtained contraption, but way more dependable.

2. New York only let me vote for one office. I was like, “Is this it? Am I finished?” Every election in California includes about a million ballot initiatives, from the arcane to the downright insane. I kind of miss that process of having to read up on insurance reform or transportation funding in order to make a decision on the propositions.

At any rate, please do vote today (except you Oregonians, you’re missing out). And if you’re like the many people I know who are still(!) undecided, do your due diligence and make an informed decision after reading each candidate’s statement on the issues.

Happy Super Tuesday!

(Photo from Library of Congress: Women voting in New York in 1917.)