The Longest Day

I voted this morning at about 9:30 am, after radio spots promoting our election night party, the wrap-up of the year-long Hip Hop Voter Project. The lines weren't too long, and I voted extremely quickly—there is a benefit to having written endorsements for all the candidates, amendments and bond issues. I didn't need to read anything. I felt actually a bit choked up, although perhaps that's just the incredible anticipation that's been building. Today feels like the longest day in the world. We're on deadline, and our email is all jammed up, so we're all kind of sitting here, signing off on pages like zombies. The reporters are in the field, keeping an eye on things. A few reports of people getting mixed messages about provisional ballots. There are polling monitors everywhere; some asked me, after I voted, if I'd had any trouble. Actually, it was quite smooth and everyone was extremely friendly and excited. I sure hope we get results tonight here, although yesterday The Secretary of State's Office predicted New Mexico could get held up by 75,000 absentee ballots in Bernalillo. I wish someone would explain to me why early and absentee voting was pushed so hard if it means we won't get results. I know it's supposed to be to create a paper trail, but it really doesn't do that, does it? If they all get electronically scanned anyway? Well, it's hours until polls close anywhere in the country and I wish I had some way to speed up time and KNOW what's going to happen. We've got an office-wide electoral vote pool going on. I'm the only person who predicted a Bush win in my vote. I did that because I figure it might result in Kerry winning, since my predictions usually backfire in one way or another.