Observations From The Polling Place

Last Tuesday, I had the honor of working the polls for the first time ever.  It was an education I believe everyone should have - inasmuch as successful and viable voting is the backbone of our way of government.  Without it, we would soon resemble a third-world country ruled by a narcissistic, racist, favoritist despot bent on his own self-edification at the expense of their populous.

Well, come to think of it....   Oh, never mind....

It was easy to see the frustration and angst in the voters by the questions they asked. If my (small) precinct was any indication of the overall mood of voters here in California and across the nation, I'm ecstatic.  By observation it seems voters in California are finally grasping the abyss the state has plunged into and are willing to make profound changes.  From glancing over results across the nation, I'd surmise much the same (minus the horrible state of the state).

Some informal numbers to ponder:
* 18% of the voters sought to cross party lines to vote for candidates on different partisan ballots.
* 76% of those seeking to change party affiliation were Democrats.
* Of the small number of voters requesting assistance (such as those with visual problems or inability to use their hands well), every assisted person expressed some degree of disgust or disdain with the current state of government - regardless of party.

Of course, poll workers cannot - and should never - influence a voter.  And I believe we did an excellent job of assisting voters in a non-partisan manner.  Observation however cannot be ignored,  and the electorates profound dislike of "business as usual" was the 700-pound Gorilla in the middle of the polling place.

Best question from poll Tuesday: A little old lady (maybe 80-85) sitting at the electronic booth, she pulls her head out to ask me "Are there any REAL people on this (Democratic) ballot?"

In my capacity, all I could do was smile.