Happy Birthday to Me. I Voted Early!

Yesterday I settled in to watch endless hours of election coverage — pre-, during, and post-. It’s an obsession I’ve enjoyed since I was a child. I can’t get enough.

This year I achieved a second voting “first.” I was in the first wave of 18-year-olds allowed to vote. I cast my absentee ballot, witnessed and signed by the dean of my college, in his office. Last week I joined the first-ever wav of early voters in New York. When the early voting schedule came out and I saw that I could vote on my birthday, that sealed the deal. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. 

I wanted to break my habit of voting absentee and cast my ballot in person, it meant that much. 

I set out on the half-mile walk to my closest polling place, a city library, about an hour before its noontime opening. The weather couldn’t have been better. Bright autumn sun, temperature cool but not cold. I had no worries about standing outside in bad weather. 

Not a bad early voting line …

Yes, I encountered a line, but I expected that. Here’s my takeaway from the experience: it was civilized, orderly, and easy.

I enjoyed the best of human nature as I wanted. Fellow voters in our lengthening line were orderly as it snaked around the parking lot and reached the street. They held places in line for others who needed to feed parking meters. I didn’t see anyone try to cut in or hear anyone complain. Everyone wore a mask and kept good social distance. I didn’t hear any electioneering in line, no quizzing about who anyone intended to vote for. People dropping off for completed ballots were given free access to the box by the door.

Parking was the only issue that sparked some impatience and frustration. The lot was filled by the time I got in line. I watched a few people “create” parking places on grass medians and in traffic lanes.

I met several friendly people on line and we had good conversations as well as a few laughs as we bided our time. One great aspect of social distancing, it made me feel as if I was making real progress toward the door when the poll opened. I didn’t hear anyone complain about the speed, or lack thereof, as we shuffled ahead.

Inside, the poll workers were helpful and friendly, I didn’t notice any poll workers or come up against intimidation.

I felt a deep sense of satisfaction, black marker pen in hand, coloring the circles on my ballot. It was exhilarating to insert it in the computer and see the screen message, “Valid Ballot.” Early voting, from the time the poll opened until I walked out, took one hour. Not bad.

And since it was my birthday, I stopped at Dunkin’ on my walk home and picked up some Munchkins to celebrate!