Democracy at Work, 37 Cents at a Time

As just about anyone following this year's election is well aware, a vote in Ohio is going to count a lot more than a vote in Indiana. Therefore, I chose to vote absentee. I made sure to send in the necessary paperwork well before the deadline, but when I left for break, I had yet to receive my absentee ballot. I found this a bit troubling and began to worry that I might be disenfranchised.
Thus, I was happy and relieved to find my ballot waiting for me when I returned to South Bend.

This was the first time I've used an absentee ballot, and naturally it's very different from stepping into the voting booth and pressing the buttons next to the candidates' names. Instead I received a very sophisticated voting device - a piece of paper stapled to a foam board (collectively the "OFFICIAL BALLOT CARD") and a bent piece of metal - it looks like a misshapen keyring (the "Punching Tool"). On the ballot are around 200 little numbered boxes each containing an even smaller perforated box (the infamous "chad"). The numbered boxes correspond to the candidates/issues I'd be voting for; the misshapen keyring is used to punch out the chad. There were specific instructions directing me to check the ballot card for "any partially attached chads" and to remove them. Luckily, I didn't experience any technical problems - all my chads were clearly detached and embedded in the foam board backing. After placing the ballot card into the "official ballot envelope" (on which I could have written down any write-in votes), I placed everything into the signed "Identification Envelope," stamped it, and voila, fini. Unfortunately, there was no "I voted today!" sticker enclosed in the package.

I did all of this Sunday night, then dropped it in the mail the next morning. There will be plenty of time for snail mail to carry it to Ohio by November 2. However, Honor did remind me that my vote still isn't quite safe from disenfranchisement. It could get lost in the mail, or heaven forbid, "misplaced" by shady election officials...