Thursday, October 23, 2008

Election Protection

On Election Day I'll be volunteering for Election Protection, something I've done in the past. Perhaps it's because of this past experience that they've made me one of the lead attornies (not sure what entirely that title entails) for the county of Rio Arriba, which is in northern New Mexico. The organization's goal is simple enough, make sure the election runs smoothly and legally. Much of the work we did last time was prevent canvassing and campaign ads around polling stations, question voters on their way out to make sure their machines had worked properly and they hadn't faced any harrassment or been unduly confused, and assist disabled voters getting to the booths.

I really enjoy elections, whether the candidate I've backed wins or looses. Back before insomnia slammed the brakes on much of my life, I did a lot of volunteering in politics. I was a Congressional intern in the US Senate, a White House intern, and also a UK Parliament intern. And no, I have no sex scandals or any other silliness to report. I spent my time answering phones, stuffing envelopes, and couriering documents around, for the most part.

The best advice I ever got on voting was from a high school history teacher who said, "Always try to vote for someone, rather than against." His point was to use one's vote to work towards something, not against all the negatives. I guess this advice plus all my work with politicians has set my tolerance for voter negativity very low. There are no perfect candidates; there are always things to complain about. Why bother? Find something more constructive to do. If the world is really so bad, maybe it's time to run for office.

This election is quite exciting and I look forward to doing my part.

2 comments:

  1. As a registered independent in an important swing state, I am very disappointed that no one has tried to buy my vote.

    Don't they realize how corruptible I am?

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  2. No, but you had both candidates in your hometown the day after you posted this. Heaven forbid you get stuck having to researching the issues in order to make your decision.

    Given the huge problems with voter corruption we actually do have in the state, I'm quite certain you could find someone to buy your vote, if you're feeling that flip about it.

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