Actually, after filling out all four sides of my absentee ballot last night (stupid California legislation-by-ballot-measure!), it was really no problem to drop off the ballot at a polling place this morning — there was one in the library of our elementary school, so I swung by after dropping off the kids. There were many occupied voting stations but there was no line to speak of at 7:35 A.M.
The pollworkers at the table checked to make sure I had signed the return envelope as was required, then they put my absentee ballot in the box. As I was turning to go, one of them said, “Hey, do you want a sticker?”
“Sure,” I said. “I can set a good example for my students!”
I accepted the oval “I voted!” sticker, affixed it to my shirt, and was trying to figure out why the pollworkers were looking at me funny as I walked out. Halfway to my car, I understood:
I had put the sticker on upside down.
Maybe it’s just easier for you to read it that way.
(stupid California legislation-by-ballot-measure!)
a/k/a “special-interest policy advancement by ballot measure.” Having read all 398 pages of my state and municipal voter’s guides, I’m amazed at the range and depth of cynicism behind most if not all of ballot measures under consideration.
I suppose too much direct democracy is better than too little, but I’d prefer to see the state constitution provide for qualitative rather than quantitative improvements.