At The Polls Yesterday

Chuck worked at the polls yesterday afternoon and evening as an election official. His assigned position was at the ballot box. The crowds were steady and heavy for our little town - nearly 80% of all registered voters! Chuck has worked many elections before. He said the mood has never been so ebullient. It was not a landslide for the Obama-Biden ticket. As is often true in our town, we were fairly evenly divided. But there was a sense of excitement with the high voter turnout, including many first time voters.

As parents walked up to vote with a child in hand, Chuck asked if they wanted the child to slide the ballot into the optical scanning machine. All did. Every child evidenced delight! Chuck also shook the hands of voters, thanking them for voting, as they turned from the ballot box to leave the polling place.

At one point, a gentleman came in to vote, but there was a problem with his registration. This gentleman, an acquaintance, is someone with whom Chuck has had some spirited political disagreements. As other election officials worked with the man to try to get the situation resolved, Chuck continued at his ballot box post. Eventually, the man filled out a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are secured, but not scanned into the ballot box. Before he left, the gentleman walked up to Chuck and said he had watched him shaking the hands of the other voters and he did not wish to leave without shaking Chuck’s hand.