The system isn’t perfect, but it’s what we’ve got and it’s better than what most people in the world have. Can you imagine if we lived in a place where one candidate won and the other dude was like, “Yeah, no…. I kind of dig this office. Go fuck yourself. Oh, and also, I’m going to take this bevy of ladies as my harem”?
In my polling place, the line was only a half hour, but folks were chatting and calm, feeling grateful to be a part of the process. When the line was too slow, voters skipped the privacy of the booths and started filling out their ballots up agains the garage door of the fire station or the red walls of the engine. Find a way.
A few weeks ago, an undecided friend of mine in Wisconsin sent me a plea for information. She was overwhelmed and confused and couldn’t find a way through the muck. She wanted some unbiased comparisons, so I sent her the most unbiased things I could find. I feel that democracy is ten times as powerful when you make a decision for yourself than when you follow lockstep with your pastor/parent/professor because you don’t have time/energy/desire to do the work yourself. For trying to do due diligence, I admire my friend.
Today, I sent her my unbiased opinion. It’s too important to let it slide and you never know what might tip someone as they’re standing there in the booth.
Today is the day. See you on the other side.
rosiesaysblog 
My state is all mail in. It’s so frigging easy, they are practically holding your hand the whole time. If you don’t know what to vote for, you can easy sit at your computer, ballot in hand, and do some quick research. Simple as that.
What blows me away is that, despite all of this, there are still so many who don’t vote. Many of them are my friends. I’ve pulled most of my hair out trying to convince them they need to register (heck, they complain enough about what things needs to change, and how the religious right has too much power, yet they simply… DON’T.)
Gay marriage is on the ballot in Washington, and I do think that a clear majority of voting-ELIGIBLE people favor it. The problem being of course, that so many in the 18 – 28 age range won’t bother making their voice heard. I won’t let my non-voting friends hear the end of it if the measure fails. Particularly after a couple of apple martinis in.
You’re absolutely right. We should never take the privilege of voting for granted.