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Folks who voted before work were smiling and nodding at each other on public transportation today (in part because -- really, these red "I Voted! Ya Vote!" stickers they're giving out in SF today are awesome) -- if you haven't yet, sneak out of work early this afternoon, or make sure you're at your polling place by 8 p.m. If you've forgotten where to go, you can either go to your City Hall or check here (here for SF).
So how was the franchisement process for your faithful SFist staffers? Well.... our well-caffeinated SFist Jeremy reports that his polling place, in the heart of District 8, took 3 minutes, and he got to work early. Damn the efficiency of the Noe Valley voting process! He was disconcerted that the friendly pollsters didn't find it necessary to check his ID or validate his claims of residence in any way. Other than that, smooth as a baby's ass.
Everyone's favorite registered socialist, SFist Jackson, used his best handwriting to strike a blow against the man in District 11, reporting: "I relished my opportunity to participate in a democratic system today -- take that, Prince Charles! While Edward Champion had some problems this morning, my experience couldn't have gone smoother. There were six polling places and no line. Maybe it was too early, but sadly there was no bake sale to support Buena Vista Elementary this year. I proudly wrote in Anthony Faber for City Assessor, and also wrote in somebody for City Attorney (let's just say she's a fellow blogger). Now I have a nice "I voted!" sticker to wear with my smirk."
Hear about SFist MattyMatt's absentee voter experience, the vigilant pollwatchers at SFist Jon's voting place, and how non-citizen SFist Ced wants to participate in the American Experience after the jump! And staffers and readers, share your voting experiences in the comments as you come back. (Did anyone get exit-polled? We never get exit polled.)
Coy yvesdropper SFist MattyMatt tells us: "Absentee's the only way to do it! I voted a week ago by mail. And I even got to vote twice, since [our companion] simply signed his ballot and tossed it over to me, saying, "I don't know what to do with this thing." Now that's democracy."
Everyone's favorite curmudgeon SFist Jon grumbles, "I was running late and was worried about missing my train so I hoped there wouldn't be a long line at the polling place. There wasn't. I basically walked right in and was able to vote without waiting at all. So I voted, and due to time constraints didn't spend as much time carefully drawing in between the lines like I always try to do (hey, you have to make voting fun somehow) and finished up in a couple of seconds (doing patterns for the IRV portion helps speed things up). When I went to put my ballots through the machine, I got a whirring sound and a light went off. The poll worker, actually paying attention to what was going on, told me that I had missed a portion of the ballot and wanted to know if I was okay with that or wanted to fix. Carefully weighing my civic responsibility versus my being late to work, I begin to think about what a worthless election this is and that if I missed anything, it might have been on something like voting for the Assistant to the City Administration Assistant position. So I said, "neh, I'm fine" and ran off to BART.
And what of the foreign-born? Our beloved gastronome SFist Cedric laments that he cannot vote for the local propositions today, despite the fact that he is a law abiding member of SF society, and that he is dutifully paying his taxes. What gives? He is not a citizen. He strongly thinks that legal immigrants who have been here forever, who participate in the community, who pay their dues, should be allowed to vote in local elections. Or at least to make an election day post about it.
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I love being an absentee voter, it's very empowering to be able to have my ballot on one side and my research materials on the other. No worries about realizing I never gotten around to researching a part of the ballot.
The downside -- I get no sticker, which is the cool fashion accesory for the day.
Don't forget - California law REQUIRES employers to give people time off during the day to vote if they're voting at the polls, without any penalty to the employee.
It sounds far fatched, I know, but it is the law. If you work in SF but have to live far away, you can ask for time off to ensure you get to the polls on time and allowed to vote.
i feel totally robbed of the sticker. next year i will drop off my absentee ballot in person.
damn, i love voting.
I'm with Ced as a fellow non-citizen and fan of voting. I haven't been able to vote at the polls in an election in more than 10 years and it makes me sad. No stickers. No eye-rolling impatience when the lines start while still being secretly happy to be involved in participatory democracy. It's a bummer. Especially since it seems like there are elections every other minute here.
Gangsta's Say Vote Yes on Prop H
There was prop F last year to allow immigrant to vote for school boards election. Info here. Lost 49%-51%. DiFi endorsed 'No on F'! She is such a Republican! The Gap Donald Fisher bankrolled the NO. Boycott GAP!
Several U.S. cities and 22 foreign countries currently allow some form of non-citizen voting, according to the World Policy Institute, a liberal think tank.
My sticker matched my shirt. Hot fashion item. But I am voting absentee because of Yakov the Pollworker and his Posse, to be described tomorrow at the Pepper.
I'd just like to point out that I'm not a registered socialist, as California does not allow one to register as a member of the International Socialist Workers Party. I am, in fact, 'unregistered' according to the voting rolls.