voting

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Park Bench and Picnic Table Under Cloudy Skies at Middle Branch Park

A blue park bench is in the foreground, set against green grass and a picnic table and tree in the middle of the picture. The sky is cloudy and the water of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River is steel gray.

Monday was the first day of early voting in Maryland so I wanted to check out the lines at one of the sites. The best way to do that, of course, was on my bike, so I hopped on and headed down the hill toward Camden Yards. When I first heard this was going to be an early voting site I had images of voting from home plate, looking up at my adoring fans in the stands. Alas, you actually vote inside Dempsey’s Brew Pub–decidedly less exciting. I requested an absentee ballot and dropped it off in a ballot box a couple weeks ago. I was, as usual, my own adoring fan.

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Official Ballot at Austerlitz Street Baptist Church

Hey, hey, it’s election day! My electronical universe was full of people telling me they voted, telling me to remember to vote, telling me that voting is irrational, or pointless, or that it’s all just part of a pageant that makes it seem like we live in a democracy when actually the system is hopelessly broken. Here’s the thing. I believe in democracy. I believe ours is corrupted in lots of ways, for sure. That’s why I’m one civically engaged mofo. Voting is not the beginning and end of democratic ideals or community-building, or figuring out how to live together with people who aren’t like us. That’s a project. This is just voting. Continue reading →

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Voting Poll Sign at Austerlitz and Magazine

It was pretty much the perfect Saturday afternoon–sun shining, slight breeze, marching bands echoing all over. And it was election day! I hopped on the bike and zipped over to my old polling station where the Xavier Prep drumline was practicing, providing a festive soundtrack. Continue reading →

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Voting By Bike

Cast VoteIt’s Election Day, and I woke up excited to participate in the pageant that is the United States Democracy. Everyone was predicting record turnout and long waits at the polls, so I had planned to go first thing in the morning, be there for the doors at 6am. Continue reading →

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Barack Obama Bus on Chestnut

I was riding up Chestnut on my way to work and saw this Louisiana for Change/Barack Obama bus.  Yes, the election is coming near, and the town is flush with lawn signs, lapel pins, and stickers.  Continue reading →