Election nightmares

November 04, 2008

Carole Brand

I didn’t sleep well last night due to the elections.

I have to blame Obama and McCain for my sleepless night. I dreamed of Obama dressed up in a Halloween costume, and McCain in sweat pants with Palin at his side dressed up like an Eskimo and holding a fishing rod.

I finally woke up, with just enough energy to go to my polling place. I timed everything so I would arrive at exactly 7 a.m.

I had hoped to “waltz” in, vote and go to work with coffee in hand. But at the polls I found another nightmare.

There were lots of people lined up.

I am not good with people first thing in the morning, especially after a restless, weird “election dream” night.

I was not in the mood to speak to anyone, but it seemed as though people wanted to talk to me.

“Explain Amendment One to me,“ someone asked me.

I wanted to say, “just vote yes on all of them,“ but I didn’t.

I was polite and smiled. Then I went on to explain what Amendment One was all about.

“I guess I’ll vote yes,“ the person replied.

I just shrugged my shoulders and took another sip from my coffee cup.

I thought, “please don’t ask me anymore questions. I just want to vote and get out of here. This is my right and my time and I just want to do it.”

With that, I was finally next in line. Thank goodness.

I’m so excited to vote for the first time

Christie Kulavich

I voted for the first time ever today, and man am I proud.

I had always been of the “my vote doesn’t count, so why bother” mindset, but that changed this year. I decided to stop complaining about things that I do nothing to change. Maybe I’m getting wiser in my old age. (Thanks, Dad!)

I registered a few weeks ago, and have been hanging on to that voter card, excited to head over to the Houston-Love Memorial Library.

I was kind of nervous. I had no idea what to expect. I left the house at 1 p.m., hoping I could make it to work by 2 p.m.

I was in and out in 30 seconds.

Here’s a hint at the library: Follow the little white feet on the floor to the community room. This newbie had to ask. I walked up to my K table, handed my ID and my voter registration card, which apparently, I didn’t need.

I sat down at the table, voted and then followed the crowd one of the two machines, which read 1240 when I put my ballot in, and got my ‘I voted’ sticker. It made me a little teary-eyed. It was quite the movie moment.

Sadly, my sticker flew off three times before it finally flew away in the parking lot at work. Oh well. I still have the memories.

A great morning

Regina Rose

My wife and I arrived at the Houston-Love Memorial Library at 6:30 a.m., and about 20 people were ahead of us.  The line quickly lengthened to about 250+ plus before the doors were opened at 7:00.  We entered, voted and were out in 12 minutes.  Very good!  As we left I took the attached pictures for my file but thought you might have some use.

It was a great morning to be in such a “colorful” line with good Dothan folk of all ages who were exercising their right to vote.  I sincerely hope that line continues throughout the day as people vote to elect the next President and Vice President of the U.S.A.  What a memorable day!

John Deal

Voting at the Houston County Farm Center

Ken Tuck

I voted around 10:45 this morning at the Farm Center. There were only four people in front of me. However, that wasn’t the case earlier in the morning. One of the poll workers told me the line stretched out the door to the Cottonwood Highway. “It was terrible,“ he said. I replied, “No, that’s actually great. People are getting out and voting.“ I knew he didn’t mean it was terrible that many people were voting, it was just a terribly long line. We laughed about it.

Everyone’s ID was being checked and everything went smoothly. I was No. 408 in the P-Z line. It was great seeing people getting out to vote today, including a fellow Eagle employee.

BTW, I hear Starbucks is giving away free coffee to people who vote today. We’re gathering a group from the Eagle to go get our java fix. We’ll need it for tonight.

Lines, lines, lines – today, they’ll do ya good

Ebony Horton

Ozark had its share of long voting lines at the Civic Center this morning. What appeared greater than the lines, however, was the enthusiasm from many of the voters.

There were wheelchairs, crutches, pajamas, coffee cups, lawn chairs - anything to help sustain voters while they stood in the lines. My 80-year-old grandfather only asked for his cane (though I took a lawn chair just in case) as we waited for about 30 minutes.

He was too excited for this time in history. I’m sure he could have passed out twice and still gotten up to vote while we were there.

There were also others, like my 24-year-old high school friend Namon Flowers, who had never voted before but came to the civic center with his young son to exercise his right.

Please go vote today, despite how long the lines may be. And if you haven’t registered, go ahead TODAY to your county registrar’s office to register for the next elections to include the governor, which I think are in 2010.

The truth is our forefathers, black, white, English and even before “Taxation without Representation” have paved the way for this opportunity. Even if you feel your vote doesn’t count, not voting is almost like giving up $1 million in my opinion - it’s just that despicable to me to not exercise your right to vote.

Take care and happy voting!