As the four of us precinct officers sat analyzing our voting operation earlier today, we marveled at how smoothly the process unfolded. The typical voter came, stated his name to the Clerk who found it in the precinct roster. He or she presented to the clerk identification (by law, one of the following: driver's license, credit card, social security card, personal identification by a precinct officer, or other I.D. with both photo and signature. Then the voter signed the roster, received a voting machine code from one of the judges, and stood in line to vote.
The entire process was orderly and unrushed. Once at the voting machine, voters were presented with the longest slate of candidates in my memory (since first voting in the early 1960's!): eight pages of candidates on the slate, for national, state, and local offices. Yet voters took their time and no one in the sometimes-long lines complained.
Seemingly every potential complication was addressed, by law. If a voter requested assistance, two election officers, one Republican and one Democrat, came to answer questions. We precinct officers are experienced and trained before each and every election.
Kentucky law says that voters will vote in the precinct in which they live. Some of the voters came to our precinct and were not on our roster. After learning their address, we directed them to the appropriate precinct. All in this situation told us, " Oh, yes, I know where that is." None were upset at having to go to another location (the County Clerk had previously mailed out postcards to all registered voters telling them the location of their precinct).
An elementary school generously provided spacious, clean areas in which to set up the election; it provided plenty of parking for voters. Kentucky schools are all not in session on voting days.
"Electioneering" is not permitted anywhere in the voting area and the 300 feet margin surrounding the voting area. This is trying to influence voters to vote for a particular candidate or issue. None was observed.
It was a very long day for us precinct officers, having to be at our location at 5:30 a.m. and staying until the last voter in line a 6 p.m. completed voting. Tonight, I was home at 7 p.m., the earliest in my years of service. However, as we chatted with some of the voters from other states, Kentucky's process was highly praised. One transplanted Michigan woman stated, "If this had been Detroit, I would have probably had to wait in line for four hours. It's always cold; I've had to stand in line outside in snow." A woman originally from Chicago offered, "In Chicago, this whole room (the school's large gymnasium) would have been packed with voters in line for hours and hours."
The entire spectrum of voters came out today, young, old, and in-between, many with children in tow, male, female, handicapped, some new at voting (and quite pleased with themselves!) but most experienced. Voters were from many different racial backgrounds.
After the polls closed, we printed out two copies of the voting totals. One went with the machines and election materials back to the County Clerk's office and the Board of Elections. One was taped to the clear glass doors opening to the voting area. There were folks waiting outside to immediately report these totals to local political parties and news outlets. This is our process.
We American should be proud of our democratic process, refined after many years!
Praise you, O Lord, for our freedom in elections! Please continue to "shed your grace" on our beloved country!
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