Here's the situation: On October 6th I accept an offer to go out and spend this last month on the campaign trail in North Carolina. I had to be here by the 10th. The second THE SECOND I know I am leaving I make a to do list which includes things like do my laundry, quit my current employment and oh yes, FIGURE OUT HOW I'M VOTING. I have all my pertinent information because the first thing I did when I moved into my new apartment was register to vote, and I carry my voter reg card around in my wallet. It's too early to vote early in DC so October 8th, an ENTIRE MONTH, before the election I fill out my absentee ballot application and mail it to the DC Board of Elections.
They do not issue my ballot until October 23rd. No big deal, still plenty of time. I ask the staff in my office to be on the lookout for my absentee ballot. Turns out we don't get mail at the office, nobody knows which mailbox is ours and nobody has the key. Shit.
Okay not to worry. I befriend our mail lady, who is delightful by the way, and explain the situation. She promises to bring the ballot up to our office when she sees it. I also put a note on the mailbox bank asking that any mail for the campaign office be left on top. On three separate occasions I see a mail truck pulling into our parking lot and race downstairs like I'm 12 and it's Mister Softee. When the mail carrier tells me they don't have my ballot today, I make them open all the boxes and look in case another mail carrier accidentally shoved it in there. No luck and they think I'm insane.
MEANWHILE, recognizing that my ballot might not get delivered, I call the DC Board of Elections FIVE TIMES. Thrice I leave a message and once that message is returned. The very nice and helpful man tells me to email him my alternate address (the campaign's PO Box) and he will reissue the ballot. According to the DC BOE website that ballot is mailed November 1st. I ask our Campaign Treasurer and Finance Director daily whether it has arrived. It has not.
You guys, I am FREAKING OUT. First of all I'm super angry because no one is going to be more persistent than I am when it comes to voting. If this can happen to me, it can happen to anybody and voting should be easy and accessible and it bums me out on principle. Second of all, I LOVE VOTING. It's kind of my thing and I have voted in every single municipal bond measure, uncontested primary and low key election since 2006. And now for PRESIDENT? For HILLARY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Not to mention that DC Statehood is on the ballot. I have been waiting six years to vote for Hillary Clinton. I have been blogging and donating and volunteering and intermittently considered leaving my job to go work for her campaign. How can this be happening?
So here's the plan: God-willing, this thing is in our PO Box on Monday at which point I will pay money to overnight it to DC. I am also planning on calling the Post Office here in Raleigh just in case...I don't even know what. I seriously briefly considered driving up to DC to cast a provisional ballot on Tuesday but since I am down here working on a campaign that is beyond sketchy. And yes, I got here too late to register in North Carolina. I even replied to a text from the Hillary campaign for people who have voting questions, but shockingly they had other things to do besides delve into absentee ballot problems in DC.
Honestly, I am open to suggestions. I MUST vote for Hillary Clinton. What do I do?
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