Reply #11: I want to re-voice my concerns, here [View All]

[Cats Against Frist]

I am from Iowa -- Iowa City, and I spent the day doing a drive-around survey of the suburban neighborhoods, and to my delight, I found that Kerry/Edwards signs outnumbered Smirky/Snarly signs by about 6:1 -- and this was in the residential areas -- not even the student areas.

However, I was approached by someone who registered me. I just moved here, last year from Washington State, and the only places I've voted, until now, were Illinois and Washington, in neither of which I voted absentee.

When the registration person filled out my form, I said, "well, I really want to go to the polls, because I wanted to take my son (he's 3), because my parents were always enthusiastic about voting -- they always voted in EVERY election possible -- and I wanted to start a tradition. I said, "So, OK -- I want to go to the polls, so what do I do when I get my ballot in the mail." She said, "you don't have to do anything, you just have to go to the polls."

AU CONTRAIRE MA REGISTERERE -- you HAVE to take the absentee ballot with you to the polls. If you lose it, or something goes wrong, you can only cast a provisional ballot. Also, if you've already written on it, and bring it into the voting place, they won't take it. You'll have to cast a provisional ballot.

At first, I was super paranoid, because I thought maybe those that lost or voted on it wouldn't be able to vote at all, but the county auditor told me that provisional ballots could be cast in those instances. Still, I'd rather have a real ballot counted.

Maybe it's just me, but I think there is room for some screw ups with this, especially in a state like IOWA, where there will be NOTHING going on at the polls. People who say they want to go to the voting booth should not be pushed to get an absentee ballot. The person could just register them, and put them down on a list for a reminder postcard or something. I know that the register-ers wanted the names so they could divert resources where they're most needed, but it is my raison d'etre to vote Smirky the Fake Cowboy out of office, and I may have thrown my ballot away, not knowing I had to bring it.

I've already reported this -- that the person told me "I'd have to do nothing -- just show up at the polls." I hope they got someone in there with the right information.

So people everywhere -- if you're voting absentee -- triple check the rules. If you want to go to the booth, but you registered absentee as part of a drive, check what the rules are.