Slow times at Stony Point Elementary.

I just returned from spending a couple of hours sitting out front of my polling place. (At which I was happy to meet reader and Webb volunteer Greg Kane on his rounds.) It was, in a word, quiet. By the time I cast my ballot at 10am, at the end of my shift, I was voter #20. The first fifteen came prior to my 8am arrival. But I did quite enjoy the reading time — the current New Yorker is the summer fiction issue, with the theme of “life during wartime,” and it made for a fine way to pass the time.

This morning was, in two regards, very much like last year’s Democratic primary in the lieutenant governor’s race. The turnout is the same. And, once again, I found myself in the booth only to realize that I wasn’t sure for whom I should vote. The difference is that last year I surprised myself with my vote. This year I made a resigned, reluctant choice — I believe I sighed audibly when I hit the button.

May the best man win.

Published by Waldo Jaquith

Waldo Jaquith (JAKE-with) is an open government technologist who lives near Char­lottes­­ville, VA, USA. more »

14 replies on “Slow times at Stony Point Elementary.”

  1. “I believe I signed audibly when I hit the button.”

    Hmmm…that sounds like a Webb vote…

    Or a Miller vote.

    I’m confident it’s one of the two.

  2. I was #22 at 9am at Free Bridge (Elks lodge near pantops) and let’s just say there weren’t any lines to wait in. Hooray for all 5% of us Virginians participating in the election today. :)

  3. Waldo,

    In the 2004 Presidential election, I took a long, hard look at the candidates, sighed and made a hard choice. I wrote in None of the Above. I haven’t regretted it since.

    I realize you were more upset with the rhetoric than with the policy buffet, but sometimes it’s worth expressing your dissatisfaction at the ballot box not against one candidate, but against all of them.

  4. At Rec at 7AM, I was voter #30 (!!), I thought that was pretty good. I sat there for a little while and little else happened. Oh well…I sighed too while I voted, hoping against hope I made the right decision.

    As for Jon in 2004- there were so many contenders on the ballot in that primary it was a pleasure to vote. I did not feel compromised at all. I thought every spectrum of the democratic party was represented on that primary ballot (although apparently not Jon’s spectrum- too bad).

  5. I was voter #5 at Georgetown, i.e. the first voter who wasn’t a poll worker.

    I left about 7:05, and about twenty had voted. Which I thought was pretty good.

    I worked a shift at Whole Foods and asked people who had stickers on. Ivy seems to have decent turnout, Dunlora decent, Free Bridge low and Agnor-Hurt horrific (as in 10 voters by just before noon).

  6. At 12:15 pm, I was #37 at Branchlands (Senior Center). I actually had to wait to vote…almost 10 seconds. Another 5 seconds and I would’ve been out of there. I don’t have that kind of time to waste…sheesh

  7. I think I was voter 28 at 8:45 at Merriweather Lewis. Chatted with the two Dem friends working the pols out there. Saw some Webb signs. No miller signs. We actually developed a line for the voting machine for a minute or so.

  8. I voted at Carver Precinct in the city about noon – I was voter 53. LOW! If we are to beat Allen, Webb is the one.

  9. Noon? When I rolled out of bed at 7:40 this morning I thought dang, this is early for me…but Donna was in line two hours ago, so I can handle it.

    Just when you think you know a person… ;)

  10. As for Jon in 2004- there were so many contenders on the ballot in that primary it was a pleasure to vote. I did not feel compromised at all. I thought every spectrum of the democratic party was represented on that primary ballot (although apparently not Jon’s spectrum- too bad).

    –Well, I’m a libertarian who thinks the libertarian party is an exercise in masturbatory moralism. I voted for Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary, simply because I wanted to make some kind of statement without compromising the Democratic primary — I’m not a Democrat — and Lieberman had already dropped out. I wrote in NOTA for the general election.

  11. Here in Norfolk, we had city council and mayoral elections last month. After the historic mayoral vote, it was hard to generate any excitement over a single-party senatorial primary. Since the only thing we had to vote on this time was the primary, these three votes should’ve been combined on one ballot. It would’ve saved the city of Norfolk a good bit of taxpayer money, and probably would’ve increased the voter turnout some.

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