Secret Ballots? I Don’t Think So.

Okay, so I know I said I was going to cut back on my posting through December, and likely through the holiday season, but I’m just really offended right now. For several years now, I’ve noticed something when I vote in any election. It might be easier if I just lay out the process my district has set up.

1. Walk in the door, fill out short form with name, D.O.B., and address. Sign the form.

2. Show driver’s license (but no voter’s registration card), head to next table…where information from card is verified, something is entered in the computer, and my ballot number is assigned. Short form I filled out is tucked in the pocket of the folder covering my ballot.

3. Fill in circles of people, proposals, and any millage I wish to vote for.

4. Take my assigned ballot, and folder…with the short form I filled out when I entered the building…to the final table.

5. Watch the volunteer tear the ballot number from the top of my ballot, lay it in a pile with all of the others. Watch as he or she then takes the short form out of the pocket, lines up the two little holes, and puts it in the little binder…directly on top of the short form the person ahead of me filled out when they entered the building.

6. Stand in line waiting to get to the machine that will suck my assigned ballot in and count my votes. Right behind the guy whose every step has been documented since I followed him into the building….same as mine.

7. Walk out knowing deep down in my heart that if anyone were ever interested to know who I voted for in this election, they could probably find out.

It’s not that I really care whether people know who I voted for or not. For the people who know me, they know I’m a hardcore….independent. I can’t help it. I refuse to stand with any one party, because neither side is 100% good or right. They each have their good points, but they each have an equal number of bad points. It’s my job to research them and vote for who I feel will best represent the things I feel are important.

My problem here is that voting is supposed to be private. Between me and my ballot. Not between me, the first computer, the short form with my assigned ballot number, the binder that holds that short form, and the  machine that records whose ballot was sucked in both before and after mine.

Has anyone else noticed this? If so, am I wrong? Because I don’t feel like my votes are private anymore.

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3 Responses to Secret Ballots? I Don’t Think So.

  1. Debra Kristi says:

    I do absentee ballot so mine is just between me and the piece of paper I write it on. I haven’t walked that line in a long time. Sorry, my friend.

    • I may have to check into the absentee thing. Except I don’t actually mind going to vote (IF I can get there before school gets out and ten million parents and teachers get in line ahead of me). The thing that bugged me enough to write this post is that I just don’t think voting is secret anymore. I don’t see how it can be…and it was never set up this way. Afraid I’m a Constitution lover…and always will be. 🙂

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