Fight for your right...
I'm sure all of you in the US are aware that it's Election day. Let me relay to you my election day adventure, shall I?
First off let me say with some sadness that Mike's grandma passed on Saturday afternoon, and visitation is at the funeral home tonight from 6-8pm. Thank you all for your kind thoughts and sympathy, she'd been sick and hospitalized for a fairly long time (two months) and now she rests in peace.
But that has little to do with voting. My bosses insisted that I leave work to vote... which I was for... even though I knew it was going to be a hassle. Why? Because for some reason, the state of Alabama just can't seem to get it into their computer systems that I am married. I have been married for 9 years, I changed my name within 6 months of getting married at the Social security administration, re-registered to vote, etc etc etc. However, 4 years ago when I last tried to vote, they still had me under my maiden name.
Guess what? I'm still under my maiden name this year. I left work, and went to the place I used to have to poll at, the Frank Brown recreation center in Auburn Alabama. Tried my married name... they can't find it. Tried my maiden name... can't find that. Had to go to the big county roster polling list and see that, unsurprisingly, I'm still listed as an Ellis... and I need to go to the Dean Road recreation center, which is a couple miles away, to cast my vote. So... I go to Dean Road. Get in line... lo and behold, my name isn't on the lists under L or E... so I go to the head roster lady, and she says, "I have no idea why you are here... the lady shouldn't have sent you here, she should have sent you to the Best Western Hotel for voting." The best Western is clear on the opposite side of town from where I am. And when I get there... the lines are 9 miles long. No lines at either of the two previous place I've been to, but of course they're freaking endless at the Best Western Voting place.
However! I did get to vote.. (Under my maiden name... and filled out the little 'voter update' card AGAIN.)
Either way...
My vote counts. And that's the important part, right?
First off let me say with some sadness that Mike's grandma passed on Saturday afternoon, and visitation is at the funeral home tonight from 6-8pm. Thank you all for your kind thoughts and sympathy, she'd been sick and hospitalized for a fairly long time (two months) and now she rests in peace.
But that has little to do with voting. My bosses insisted that I leave work to vote... which I was for... even though I knew it was going to be a hassle. Why? Because for some reason, the state of Alabama just can't seem to get it into their computer systems that I am married. I have been married for 9 years, I changed my name within 6 months of getting married at the Social security administration, re-registered to vote, etc etc etc. However, 4 years ago when I last tried to vote, they still had me under my maiden name.
Guess what? I'm still under my maiden name this year. I left work, and went to the place I used to have to poll at, the Frank Brown recreation center in Auburn Alabama. Tried my married name... they can't find it. Tried my maiden name... can't find that. Had to go to the big county roster polling list and see that, unsurprisingly, I'm still listed as an Ellis... and I need to go to the Dean Road recreation center, which is a couple miles away, to cast my vote. So... I go to Dean Road. Get in line... lo and behold, my name isn't on the lists under L or E... so I go to the head roster lady, and she says, "I have no idea why you are here... the lady shouldn't have sent you here, she should have sent you to the Best Western Hotel for voting." The best Western is clear on the opposite side of town from where I am. And when I get there... the lines are 9 miles long. No lines at either of the two previous place I've been to, but of course they're freaking endless at the Best Western Voting place.
However! I did get to vote.. (Under my maiden name... and filled out the little 'voter update' card AGAIN.)
Either way...
My vote counts. And that's the important part, right?