IdyllopusPress Presents

Our two votes cast make a slightly less red Georgia

5:23 A.M. We are getting ready to go and vote because I’m going to collapse in a heap o’ panic if we don’t get down to the polling place now. I’ve been hyperventilating for two months now. Eight years ago when we took H.o.p. with us to the polls, damn, looking back it seems like peering in on innocent babes, though we’d been through the hell of the Reagan years. I was smiling. People were cheery.

Look H.o.p.
Look and see.
Look and see mom vote.
Look and see dad vote.
Look and see mom and dad vote.

Look at Bush steal the election.

This time? I’m a nervous wreck.

8:20 A.M. We’re back! Walked several blocks down to the polling place by 6:15 and there was already a nice, healthy line which calmed me considerably. I’ve no idea how long the line was by 7:00 because there was no seeing the end of it from where we were. There was a steady stream of people arriving from the moment we got there.

There were a lot of young people.

Things moved smoothly and uneventfully here in the heart of Atlanta. We were both casting our touch screen vote for Obama and Biden by 7:50-7:55. H.o.p. watched the process to the point where we went to the voting booths, then he quietly waited for us by the exit. One of the poll workers gave him an “I’m a Georgia Voter” sticker, which pleased him greatly, and he brought it home as a souvenir.

H.o.p.’s very aware he was present at an historic election.

2008 nov 4

We took H.o.p. down with us to vote so he could see the process and partake in the feeling of it all.

Posted

in

by

Juli Kearns

Tags:

,

Comments

3 responses to “Our two votes cast make a slightly less red Georgia”

  1. Jim McCulloch Avatar
    Jim McCulloch

    I voted the first day of early voting in Texas, I forget when, it seems like weeks ago, In a Fiesta supermarket, which caters to ethnic customers, mostly Mexican, secondarily various Asian nationalities. I have since read that Austin had a record early voting turnout, but Fiesta had almost no early voters, and I realized what I guess I knew already, that few of their customers are citizens. But I am praying that they are here legally and will someday be naturalized, because they aren’t gonna vote Republican when they do get to vote. Texas will not be a blue state this year, but maybe in a couple more elections…

    I am surprised Texas allows early voting, actually. One of our main voter suppression devices (not originally, but it functions that way now) is the Tuesday election, a workday for most people, and poor people tend to find it harder to get off or get to the polls before or after work. Early voting obviates all that.

    I guess they think Texas is safe, which it is, for the moment.

    Reply
  2. Idyllopus Avatar
    Idyllopus

    I’m really hoping for a less red Georgia this year. I’ve even been so bold as to hope for a blue Georgia…

    A lot of places had record early voting turnout. The mind boggles (mine does) at those places where 50% of the vote was early voting.

    Many people we know early voted. I think about the long commute times (be it bus or train or bus/train or car) so many have here in Atlanta and in order not to miss work early voting is essential. But in our circle most people have flexible work schedules, being musicians, and still they were voting early.

    Reply
  3. Idyllopus Avatar
    Idyllopus

    They’re calling George for McCain but it’s heartening that tonight as one walks down the street one can hear people celebrating from apartments for every Obama win.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *