The race is on

So I finally got re-registered to vote the other day. I hadn't been registered for some years due to some very personal reasons, but thankfully they no longer apply so I will be adding my voice to the general insanity next month.

With all apologies to our dear candidates, it wasn't our historical presidential race that got me out there, but a series of initiatives I've found troubling and worries over our local district attorney's race that finally prompted me to use part of my precious lunch hour to wait in line to fill out the paperwork.

As some of you know, I work for a thrift shop run by a non profit charity and we had people out front from the political arm of our cause that day to get people registered in hopes of gaining support for a much needed measure to aid the disabled, so I felt comfortable enough registering through them. Although the fact that I would be wary of registering through just anybody is probably a blog in itself. It's definitely related to the theme of the day.

As I stood in line I could not help noticing that as each person leaned over to sign his or her card the lady taking the registrations asked who they were leaning towards in the presidential race. All down the line the reaction was exactly the same; the look of surprise at the question, the furtive glances around and the shaky mutter that they were still undecided. Really? Every single person in line? I started to wonder.

When my turn came she asked me as well. I looked her in the eye and said honestly "Ma'am, with all due respect to our candidates, I"m more worried about who's going to be our next district attorney," and walked away.

Later though, as I stopped to think about it I realized just how intimidating it felt to be standing there and to have the person whom I was trusting with my right to vote ask me to publicly declare my allegiance to one candidate or another. It felt wrong some how, as if the secrecy of the ballot box was being compromised. Yes it was just a poll, but I did not feel safe giving an answer. And from the reactions of those in line ahead of me I was not the only one.

The odd thing was I could not even explain what prompted me to feel that uncomfortable, I just did. I still don't know, but I definitely did not like the feeling.

Ms. Betty