scrawls.

scrawls

still cheaper than therapy*

28.10.08

i think i'm being disenfranchised.

So, yes, we live far outside the country. And are still registered Democrats in Brazos County, Texas. So they sent us a ballot, and i sent it back, and it had some random note about it being a corrected ballot, and to disregard the other one. But i hadn't got the other one yet anyway, so yeah, i sent in the first "corrected" ballot and thought i would be done.

Then the second, "uncorrected" ballot came in the mail with a big letter S on the envelope and a little note inside saying if i didn't fill out a certain form, my vote wouldn't be counted. At least the certain form is included. Except they sent the "uncorrected" ballot too late anyway, they mailed it on September 23, which is less than 45 days from Nov 4 (45 days is the national, i don't know if it's a reccomendation or a law, thing, for mailing out absentee ballots) - and if i have to sue them to get my vote counted, then this is something that is going to matter.

And of course there's nobody there at times that are not convenient for Brazos County, Texas, when i call the number on the form to ask them about it. And the form is far from self-explanatory - there is a space to affirm that yes, i still live in this county and precinct, only you know what, i fucking well don't. And if signing the form to say that the information provided is true is part of filling out the form which i have to do or my vote isn't counted, what the fuck?

So i have to call in another hour - finally i think the cleaning lady or somebody was there, and she was very helpful but couldn't answer anything, just "call back at 8." We'll see. But if they get my ballot and no form in time, because they sent it too late? If they get my ballot and it has no form in that original first envelope? If they get this form in a second envelope and decide that i sent two envelopes, so they're duplicates and neither is counted?

And why didn't M get the extra little form?

To be updated as events warrant.

...

Update: Finally located someone to help me (yes, ma'am, but there's someone in the County Clerk's office at the moment and then my head may have exploded, but i was quiet and polite about it. In my very best Texas accent). If i couldn't afford international long distance calling, or if i didn't have time for it, or if i didn't have access to a phone regularly, (like: people in the armed forces, people in the peace corps, all sorts of people that ought to be able to vote. I am just dripping with privilege, aren't i?) my vote would be in the trash: how they told me to fill out the form is very, very far from what one might think it would be. But anyway. Done, and i count as much as i can in a solid-red state. I count.

Vote. Get ready y'all: one week left. Early voting is sometimes easier. I won't be able to breathe until this is all over. Please vote. Just go show up. Please. Give your friends a ride if they need it. Tell everyone you know. Vote. It fucking matters.

Labels: politics

scrawled @ 13:10