Palm Beach County~Cell Phones~Early Voting

2:30....The Time I Got Into Line For Early Voting

3:40....The Time I Got Into My Car and Drove Away

Not bad...not bad at all... The one hour and ten minutes went by quickly. After hearing horror stories of 2-4 hour waits all over the state of Florida, I was prepared for the long-haul and pleasantly surprised at the short wait. With no one voting at their precinct, The Early Vote process has a few more steps than the actual Election Day, hence the LONG WAIT. My polling location was generously staffed and ran on a dime. Very orderly and no questions along the way at any point.
Whether you Early Vote or Wait until Election Day (I know, some of you are Absentee Ballot Smartees..already mailed), read on...

• At first I thought....bring a chair...not a good idea. The line moves along nicely. I would have been scooting my chair every 2 minutes.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes..you are going to stand for a long time.
• Bring something to do...I got today's entire Crossword Puzzle done, the newspaper read, and my "To-Do" list edited....all while standing in line.
• PRAY and I mean PRAY you get stuck in line next to nice people, front and back. Not those who want to chat, chat, chat. Worse....PRAY you are not next to a person who tries to interrogate your political views....and even WORSE...PRAY you are not next to a person who is trying to convert you to their views. And for real...this happened....PRAY you do not have the dingey lady walking up and down the line asking YOU how SHE should vote on the amendments. (The lines are so long that this is legal up to a certain point)
• Don't talk on your CELL PHONE in line...unless it is an emergency. Oh...the conversations I had to hear today about everything and anything NON-EMERGENCY or IMPORTANT. (I don't care if you cannot find Fishnet Stockings for your Vampire Costume or that you did not have time to put your earrings on or that you like the gold paint over the brown...serious...this and more...all while in line) Turn your CELL PHONE on silent or vibrate....Don't Talk on your phone....and PRAY that everyone around you does the same...Unless, of course, you are desperate to eavesdrop (how can you help it?) on some shallow, one-sided conversations. (The whole cell phone thing is out of control where ever you go.)
• If you have the Early Vote option in a state where the weather is COLD or blustery...be prepared to bundle up...the majority of your wait will be OUTSIDE.
• Make sure you have your PICTURE ID with your SIGNATURE before you get in line. The guy next to me could not vote (after standing in line for 1 1/2 hours) because he was trying to use his Employee ID.
• Oh, I almost forgot about the lady who came to the polls to REGISTER to vote for her very first time (she was older than me) She said last time she tried to register, it was just too much of a bother, so could they register her NOW and let her VOTE NOW? And could they (the poll workers) make sure she does not have to stand in THAT LINE? Hello??? Which Rock have you been living under?

I made it through without a Chair, Snacks, or better yet, Whacking at least one of the Campaigners who badger people in line up to the last inch they are allowed near the polling location.

Honestly, if you wait until Election Day to vote in your actual precinct. The lines may be long, however, I think they will move quickly. Enjoy the process and be prepared to make history!

Now..... one last Election Day Request.....PRAY with all your might that PALM BEACH COUNTY (My home) does NOT make news headlines on Election Day...not for one minute! No Chads, No Re-Counts, No Holding up the final voter count for months and months. No headlines, Palm Beach County...Do Me Proud, please! Prove we CAN Count, Read, Vote, and Follow Directions. Is it too much to ask?

Have You Voted Yet? Was the line long?

Does Your State have the Early Vote Option?

Did you use an Absentee Ballot?

Do you remember the 2000 Vote when Palm Beach County just could not get out of the headlines while the votes were RE-COUNTED and RE-COUNTED? (The one fun thing was it made for great people watching around town)

Are you, like me, tired of this Campaign Season and happy to see an end in sight? I will celebrate the end of this Campaign Season much more that I will celebrate the victory of any Candidate.