Accessibility and voting polls

[Catdancer]

My ballot came 2 weeks ago, and sent back the next day.

I think some of those positions shouldn't be political at all (they're political here, too): coroner, judges, district attorney -- thee (and others) should all be based on merit. The courts in particular should be non-partisan. I realize they're not...but they should be!

[Virginia]

No ballot for me. Received a booklet telling me everyone on it about two weeks ago.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

We also receive a voting pamphlet a couple of weeks prior to the absentee ballot. We also receive a "Sample Ballot."

I checked the Voter Pamphlet, and there is no information for any of the Associate Justices. How are we supposed to vote for these people, if we know nothing about them?

Party affiliation is not shown for the County Supervisor, DA, or Sheriff/Coroner. Some of them have run for other partisan offices, so I know their party. I don't want to vote for any of them, because I also know how corrupt these agencies are and always have been.

Dianne Feinstein's opponent is a Democrat (no Republican candidate won!), who is from the State Senate and is a young Latino/Asian man. Dianne is 85, and she's deeply entrenched in the Senate establishment. I feel that she handled the Ford/Kav situation poorly. Since Kevin de Leon landed on the ballot, it would seem that some Californians are ready for Dianne to leave.

Jim and I always discuss the ballot extensively, since I'm voting for the family. We're going to have to wade through these Propositions, and both of us are sleep deprived and have the attention span of a gnat. Should be interesting ...

But it sure feels good to have my ballot.

Love & Light,



Rose

P.S.: VIRGINIA ~ If you don't receive your ballot by tomorrow, try calling your Registrar to find out when it was mailed. There may be a delay due to the weather. But it helped me to know that it was sent and when it was sent, so I could look for it.

[agate]

I'm really glad you got your ballot too, Rose!

I didn't realize that Diane Feinstein is 85. She's amazing--but I agree with you that she apparently could have handled the Kavanaugh/Ford matter better.

I'm not sure about all of the details--the chronology of who did what when--but it did sound as if too many people were holding her responsible for mishandling it.

I hate it when those voter pamphlets have umpteen pages but no information on some of the issues or candidates you'd really like to know about. One voter pamphlet I always get comes through the League of Women Voters, and another comes from the Oregon Secretary of State. I get a lot of flyers in the mail, as well as phone calls.

One phone call was a robocall right at the dinner hour. I was so irritated about that one that I'll make a point of not voting for the person who was being promoted. Nobody should want to be elected badly enough to bother people with robocalls, IMO.

[Catdancer]

Robo very calls are very cheap...but indeed annoying. I hang up immediately when I get one. Almost everyone has a website these days. I go there to find out about a candidate.

[agate]

I received my ballot today.

Enclosed with it was a notice about a new system for tracking your ballot. I've now signed up for alerts via e-mail so I'll know when a ballot has been mailed out to me, and after I send it in, I'll be alerted when it has been accepted for counting.

I could have opted for alerts by text or phone as well but opted out of those.

Rose, I hope that your state has a similar arrangement?

[Virginia]

I also received my ballot today, but have not had time to look at it or fill it out.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

The Process

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

Glad you got your ballot!! Yay!

agate ~

I've checked everywhere on line and in the voting materials I received via snail mail. I couldn't find anything to indicate that I could track my ballot. That's a great idea though, so leave it to Oregon to think of it. Doesn't everyone in Oregon vote by mail?

I've spent several hours over the last few days reading the voting materials, candidate's statements, and propositions.

Today, I Googled all of the judges, who are seeking term extensions for State Supreme Court (2) and Appeal Court (14). I found a site, which correlated their service to which Governor appointed them and when, any financial contributions they've received, ruling trends, and conservative or liberal decisions.

I was able to cast a vote for all of them, and I feel like I did my due diligence in researching them. Jim told me, "Just don't vote for any of them." And I told him that, while it was tempting to take that easy route, that's not the way democracy works. Our justice system is extremely important, and we need to know that we have impartial and well-informed judges on our benches.

The County DA was a toss up, as I don't like either candidate. But I voted out the current DA, because he's allowed corruption to invade his department. Our jail system is horrendous. And cops get away with murder. Literally. Including in our city. I am terrified of our police department.

I was not familiar with either of the candidates running for the bipartisan office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. As a former teacher/educator and mother of two special needs children, whose education I had to fight for with all of my being, I take a keen interest in this position.

On line, I found a discussion between the two candidates, sort of an informal debate, moderated by two educators, with no audience. Before I began watching the video, I said to myself, "Let's see how long it takes me, before I can eliminate one of them. Open mind ..."

It took about 5 minutes. The instant that one candidate brought politics into it, and said that the position needs an educator, not a politician, he lost my vote. His opponent is a former social worker, who ran for and won a seat in the State Senate 4 years ago. The only reason why he wanted that seat was to introduce new laws to improve our educational system. He has had a modicum of success. With that connection, he can have more influence on our state legislature as our Superintendent.

The propositions, while confusing as always, were clear cut choices for me. Except for the proposition to abolish Daylight Saving Time in California.

I've bemoaned turning back and forward the clock most of my life, because it really affects my body clock. I've long wanted it abolished. But I read opposing views today, and I realized that that wish could end up badly for me.

Dawn at 4:45 a.m., when you go to bed at 3 a.m. is not a good thing. The earlier the dawn, the earlier the gardeners, the trash collectors, the construction workers making noise in our neighborhood. Not a good thing. Children going to school in the dark. Not a good thing.

For part of the year, the time difference between us and the Eastern states will be 2 hours, rather than 3 hours. That will mess things up in some way, no doubt. And what about our devices, which automatically change when we roll our clocks back or forward?

I voted no. Still ~ a part of me hates Daylight Saving Time. I don't think that there is an answer to this one.

I'm on the fence about Dianne Feinstein vs her opponent, Kevin de Leon. I'm ready for her to retire. She's been there for a long time, and she's entrenched in the mire of the system. She has to be. I think we need new blood, new ideas, and youthfulness. I'm not an ageist! I'm a Senior. Thus, I know how much energy it takes to be a Senior.

I remember my elderly aunt/godmother telling her pastor and the other Seniors in her church, "Bake sales aren't going to bring in new congregants. We need young people! Look at us! We're fossils! If you want to keep the church going, you need to bring in young people. Let's figure out how we can do that."

Once I resolve that decision, I'm ready to fill out my actual ballot and send it off with hope that it reaches its destination and is counted.

Love & Light,



Rose