Voting - Don't just vote Straight Ticket

November 1st, 2012

   Don't just take my word for it, listen to the folks from the West Wing...  Don't just vote straight ticket.  There have been several West Wing "Reunions" particularly around election time and this one is obviously biased towards one particular candidate but they state a good point.   Regardless of your state or city, take your time and go through the whole of the ballot.   Do your best to vote on each proposition and on non-partisan races.

  By now, about 30 percent of all likely voters have cast their ballot.  More and more people are taking advantage of early voting.  Even President Obama voted early, the first President to do so.   Many of my own friends take advantage of early voting.   Even my wife I make it a habit of voting early because in our own busy lives if we don't take advantage of the opportunity to vote when we have it, we know we'll miss it later.  There's usually never a line during early voting and since it's quick you might have time to smell the roses or catch a squirrel drinking from a water fountain.

   And since you have the time, double check your ballot.  Whether or not you vote straight ticket, go back and check your ballot.  Make sure you checked the boxes you wanted to check and go over the whole of the ballot including propositions and non-partisan races.  Computers aren't perfect, as they're made by human beings, and sometimes they do make mistakes.

  When I cast my vote a few days ago, my wife and I witnessed a gentleman who voted straight ticket but his choice for President was somehow changed.   We overheard firsthand in this particular case that the gentleman voted straight Democratic ticket but his Presidential pick was changed to Romney.  However, there are plenty Republicans that are screaming foul the other direction, that their straight ticket vote for Romney was somehow changed to Obama.   I've personally taken an oath not to believe in conspiracies like the Diebold somehow rigging the election.  However, if you do experience something odd, make sure to report it.

  Simply remember to take the time to double-check your ballot and remember that voting straight ticket will also skip over important nonpartisan elections.   Take your time, review your ballot and make sure that your vote counts.   Happy voting!