This has been a political-free blog and it will stay that way. But I take my responsibility to vote very seriously. I'm teaching E the same respect for the right to vote that my parents taught me. E and I voted at 9:30AM EST. Who you vote for is a personal choice. Each of us needs to make our own decision, fill out our own ballot and slide it into the drum (or pull the lever). I'm not a fan of the electronic machines that have no paper trail at all, just a touch screen. There's no way to recount the votes. So I vote the old-fashioned way until they come up with something. The drum counts everything immediately anyway.

I always ask for a sheet from each party regarding their "recommended ballot" because I'm curious. (I'm registered as an independent.)

Here's what interested me today. On the Democrat's paper, along with the suggested choices, was a complete explanation of your voting rights in Virginia, how to vote, what to do in certain circumstances, numbers to call if there's a problem, what to say to a polling official. On the Republican's paper: nothing. Not a word about my rights or how to protect them.

The first year I voted in this district, I had been at work, had picked E up from daycare and was racing home to reach the polls before they closed at 7pm. It was a dark and stormy night. Well, it was. And there were absolutely NO signs to show me where the polling station was located. On a back road in a tiny town. Clearly this favored the long-time residents. And in this area, they tend to be Republican, the old line of the Old Dominion. Before the next election (which varies in Virginia), I made sure I found where my polling place was. And I make sure every new neighbor I meet who's in my district knows where it is, too, regardless of their views. This year, I noticed there was at least a small sign "vote here" on the edge of the road that leads up to the old elementary school. Of course, you have to get to that sign down a street or two first.

Frog Out