Voting Ahead Makes a Whole Lot of Sense

Yesterday I exercised my Constitutional right to choose my new president.  And boy, was it ever easier than in years past.  For the first time, my town and most of the others in Massachusetts have begun opening up the polls a full 15 days before the actual date of the election.   I walked into town hall, where usually there is a huge line, to just one friendly staffer, who set me up and handed me my paper ballot.

The town staff member used to work at Greenfield Savings, so she probably knew every voter who walked in while she worked, from 9 to 4 pm. They will also be open on Saturday from 9-noon!

I walked to a little kiosk and made my choices.  I noticed that the Presidential ballot begins with Clinton/Kaine and then showed Gary Johnson/Bill Weld, then Jill Stein’s Green Rainbow party, THEN the hated Trump/Pence.  It was my sincere pleasure to vote for Hillary and Tim, and leave that Trump box unblemished by my mark.

It’s funny to me that we still use paper ballots.  Some people have said that they’re safer than using a machine. It seems quite antiquated to me, but hey, it works.

I voted for all of the referendum questions (YES, to legalized marijuana!) and then sealed my choices into the envelope they handed me.

Then another check that I am still at 9 Mountain Road, and then, done.

This is real progress. There is no way such an important event as a presidential election should be something you have to do on a Tuesday. It just makes sense to allow people all of this time to get to Town Hall and vote.  I think despite what Trump says, things will settle down after Hillary gets elected.  He might be making big threats but he will become Fox News 2 and will stay safely away from any position of government power.