I voted ... is it over now? (Spoiler: No)

 

Early voting started in New York today, and given it wasn't a mid-term election (and a Saturday), there actually was a line.  But, even if I had to wait fifteen or minutes or so (the longest ever ... people waiting for hours is just f-ing insane), and got no pen [on Primary Day, voters at the polling place I worked at got pens to keep that were also had a stylus to use for phones], it was okay.  The polling place like the one nearest to me where one can vote on Election Day is in a school, sensibly enough, and by chance also is the school where a relative teaches (she is registered elsewhere). 

No line in 2018 when I tried it out when it was first a thing.  The closest early voting place is like twenty or so minutes away on foot, but it was almost seventy degrees out and what else did I have to do?  Anyway, I could have waited -- it would have easier some other day, including in the middle of the afternoon or something on a weekday.  Plus, there were drop boxes, if I ahead of time requested a ballot. But, just voting the ordinary way and not worrying about messing up doing that is fine enough.

(Walking out, I saw some litter right outside the door -- a couple bits of campaign literature. Tsk tsk -- not just the litter, but leaving campaign literature right outside the polling place. There is a rule about that sort of thing within a hundred feet or whatever.  While waiting online, some guy behind me kept on not socially distancing either, standing aside the woman he was with. He also noted they were voting differently, so I gather he was the Trump voter. Ha ha.  Anyway, that was annoying.)

Vote411 provided me information on a race (pick three of four, three Democrats and one Republican available) I did not realize was going to be on the ballot:

The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. Under the New York State Constitution, the New York State Supreme Court has unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases, with the exception of certain monetary claims against the State of New York itself. The Supreme Court also hears civil cases involving claims for equitable relief, such as injunctions, specific performance, or rescission of a contract, as well as actions for a declaratory judgment. The Supreme Court also has exclusive jurisdiction of matrimonial actions, such as either contested or uncontested actions for a divorce or annulment. The court also has exclusive jurisdiction over "Article 78 proceedings" against a body or officer seeking to overturn an official determination on the grounds that it was arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable or contrary to law.

I continue to find it inane to vote for local judges because there is basically nothing I know about them other than their names and party labels. And, even there, there is limited options -- three of four choices? My little petty protest is to write-in one option.  They don't even tell us about the judicial candidates in the voting guides that come in the mail (I did not get one yet this year), for whatever reason.  A few times, I tried to find out about them in local papers and only limited information is available. 

In theory, local judges have enough power over the lives of local people (and low level policy duties) that voting for some housing judge or something makes some degree of sense. Maybe. Or, in general, maybe there will be a case where a nominee is so bad that it might be a good idea that the people could vote against them. Or, maybe, have a chance to write-in. But, if you don't know anything about them, what really is the point? The average person do not even know what these people do. A "supreme court" judge, for instance, is a trial judge in New York. 

Anyway, my state senator's pal Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou (major Twitter person) wants people to vote on the Working Family Party line, so that is what I did when given the chance. Biden and Biaggi.  Not sure why my local assemblywoman is not on the line.  She filled a seat of someone who supported Biaggi's primary opponent, so maybe she is somewhat mainstream there and didn't seek out their support. Or whatever.  My senators are not up this cycle and city elections are next year. 

AOC had some mix-up so couldn't be on the line.  The AOC race is not really competitive, but it is getting a lot of attention and funding. This is suggested by a few lawn signs (not really a thing around here) that I have seen for her competitor.  If there is a sign -- not many -- it is for him, from what I can tell.  I missed it when I filled out the ballot (thought it said she was on the Green Party line or something), but AOC's failed primary opponent is on the Serve America Movement line. It's some new center right unity sort of thing.  Anyway, the article says that AOC at least is using some of the money she is getting for useful things. 

So, I voted.  Voting early is helpful to ease the burden of all the ballots coming in on Election Day, particularly voting in person.  It also promotes voting to have more days to vote. I emotionally like voting on one day, making it a special civic ritual. That is somewhat silly on some level though I think it works okay if it is a three day weekend sort of deal with extended time to allow people to vote.  Anyway, even with early voting -- and ten days ahead isn't that bad [a month or so seems too long to me though in theory something special might come up even on Election Day] -- many people are going to vote on the day itself.  

The result is key this time, but so is the overall process.  Voting is one of the basic parts of being a citizen (appropriately, I just finished reading Eric Foner's book on Tom Paine .. pretty good academic leaning book).  It is part of an overall process of being informed, speaking out and other things such as donating money and time.  One need not be like me, spending hours on Twitter or blogs keeping up with the day to day political news. But, voting and the rest is part of being a citizen, a duty and a right. 

Anyway, one step closer to 2021.