Hey, New Jerseyans! Remember to vote!

What the hell, I saw that Sofa King started a thread about the Virginia gubernatoral election today, so I figured I’d start one about my state, which is the only other state that’s electing its next governor today.

I got up early but waited a little to go to the polling place, so I missed being the first voter today by a few minutes! Well, being second is okay, too.

After that, I walked to my train station, where I was greeted by none other than the major party candidate whom I didn’t vote for! (In the interest of maintaining a gentle reminder that it’s important to vote, no matter for whom, I won’t name any names.)

Polls are open until 8:00 tonight, one hour later than usual, so you really have no excuse if you don’t cast a ballot today. If you’re not sure who to vote for, go ahead and write my name in. I won’t mind.

I was first in line, 7:05 this morning.

I hate the new voting booths, with the little lights. The “Xs” light up when you press them, then you hit the big button at the bottom and it goes BLEEP and all your lights go out and you think, “crap—I just erased my vote,” no matter how much the elderly volunteer assures you you didn’t.

I like the old booths, with the big lever that made a satisfying “ka-CHUNKA!” noise when you pulled it. You really felt like you VOTED, with those!

By the way, why the hell do people put cadidates’ signs on their lawns? Has anyone ever walked down the street, thinking, “I’m going to vote for McGillicuddy,” then seen a sign reading, “O’Flanaghan for Dog-Catcher,” and gone, “say, there’s an idea—I’ll change my vote to that O’Flanaghan feller!”

Why only NJ? everywhere is voting right about now.

Why only NJ? everywhere is voting right about now.
and eve, i agree w/ you, any other time of year that would be considered littering.

Why only in New Jersey is because I’m acting locally; residents of other states are free to do what they want to mobilize their forces. I’m especially intent on getting New Jerseyans active because 1) I live here and 2) today’s election is a big one; we’re electing a new governor today.

Feel free to urge the voters in your own state, though.

Hey Chance! Long time no see!

I’m so THRILLED with our NY mayoral prospects that I’m going to run to the booths straight from work in a most obnoxious and peppy way.

<sigh>

Chance my dear! Where on earth have you been?

Yep, I voted. But I was terribly disappointed that they didn’t have a bake sale this year.

Hey Chance

I was number 8 this morning in my polling place. I had to vote. Brett Schundler scares me – Ed Meese endorsed him, so right away I get antsy. I get the feeling that any NJ governor who raises taxes in the first term won’t have a second term.

Chrome

Salut, Pucette! Green Bean! Yeah, it has been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve passed through here before, from time to time, though I haven’t been active lately. This summer was a greuling schedule. I worked two jobs—my eight-hour day job and then teaching English as a second language in the evenings… working five extra-full days a week wiped me out, so I’ve cut back on work time and have spent more time on line, particularly at work. (I have a new job, and there’s no a whole lot to do, but they give me net access here, so it’s their fault.) Working all the time and having next to no social life sucks (in case you might have thought otherwise…) I now teach only two nights a week, and my head’s clearing up now, letting me write more—including my lapsed message board presence.

Yeah, Pucette, I was equally uninspired by New York’s mayoral choices. I’m glad I didn’t have to pick one. It’s as depressing as the 1990 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, which I still remember with perfect, disappointed agony. I’m jealous—I wasn’t even able to fake peppiness that day.

Chrome Spot—I’m glad you voted. Bret Schundler scares the crap out of me, too. I was unaware that he’d gotten the Ed Meese endorsement, but his NRA endorsement was bad enough. And y’know, I live in Jersey City, but like most Jersey Cityans, the very thought of voting for Schundler left a very bad taste in my mouth. He was still mayor when I moved here; in fact, I lived about a block away from him when I first got to town. For his sake, I hope he kept his Jersey City residence; he won’t be moving to Trenton any time soon!

As to raising taxes, well… you may be right. However, if they need to be raised, I think people will put up with it, as long as he doesn’t raise them too much. People still talk about Florio as if he’d firebombed the statehouse or something, due to his famous tax hike in… 1990? I dunno; I didn’t live here until 1996. In a state like New Jersey, the governor will have to keep a rein in on taxes. If they get too high, the people would probably vote another Republican in—as long as it’s a Republican like Whitman, and not a Republican like Schundler.

You know what’s worse? Faking peppiness so well that you believe it yourself. I was actually EXCITED in the voting booth. Even more so this morning. GAH!

Glad to hear things are quieting down a little for you - that sounds like a super active stressful busy job schedule you had going there… How do you like the new job? (sdmb access issues aside :))

Tell me about it. I occasionally found myself getting excited about voting for Al Gore. I think it was more to do with the excitement of keeping a Bush out of the White House; I’ve always known better than to get excited about Gore. Well, if voting were supposed to be fun, then MTV would do shows about it, and… um, wait a minute…

Th’ new job is okay. I’m surprised at all the downtime I have here; my blue-collar instincts recoil at it and bring involuntary guilt down on my head. My coworkers talk about sports a lot, which isn’t my thing to begin with, and since they don’t read much and they’re Republicans, well… I don’t talk a whole lot. They’re okay, though. The new job is with the same company; I just posted out to another department. I still work for a brokerage firm, which still boggles my mind, even after two and a half years. Once I’ve been in this department for a while and get to know the product better, I’ll probably start doing some writing, which is part of the reason I was hired in the first place. Once that starts I’ll hopefully get more into it.

So, how have you been? Anything new? Ça fait quoi, une année?

Well that makes two of us. To the letter.

Glad to hear you have tons of downtime WITH internet access at work!

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