Business as usual in the Peach State

[constance]

I voted.

I got to my precinct (a precinct notably lacking in lines every single other time I've ever voted there) this morning at 6:50 to discover that there were about 150 people in front of me. It took two hours to get through the line -- everyone remarkably patient for people who are American and therefore genetically prone to apoplectic fury at the sight of a line more than ten people long. I alternated between listening to the Ironborn Kingsmoot and listening to the asshole behind me expounding on everything to his adoring girlfriend, ran into a couple of neighbors. I cast my ballot, got my sticker, exited to find the line had gotten twice as long as it had been at seven, and got to work only an hour late. Mission accomplished, and I thought that would be the end of the anxiety I've been feeling lately, but not so.

A series of conversations I've had today:

Me: I voted!
Mom: You mean you cancelled your father's vote out?
Me: Yep.
Mom: Well, You've done your filial duty, if not your duty as a citizen.

CoworkerR: I cancelled your vote out this morning, Cammy.
Me: No, you have to cancel someone else's vote out! Mine is always cancelled out by my Dad.
CoworkerR: You mean my vote can stand all on its own? That's not as exciting as being able to thwart you.
Me: You can always tell everyone that you cancelled my vote out, even if it's not technically true.
CoworkerR: You mean it? Thanks!

CoworkerT: Why weren't you at the Neil Boortz dinner last night?
Me: You're kidding, right?
CoworkerT: Yeah, he asked how many people in the room were planning to vote for Obama, and only about three people raised their hands. You feeling stupid yet?
Me: Well, consider the event, T. I mean, if it'd been Jon Stewart speaking, there might've been more than three hands raised.
CoworkerT: Okay, maybe. Anyway, I cancelled out your vote this morning.
Me: Thank God for that. I'd be feeling all weightless and free if I thought my vote were actually counting for something.

CoworkerD: You're seriously a liberal? How do you sleep at night?
Me: Like a baby, unless someone's cramping my socialist style.
CoworkerD: Huh. Well, whatever, Ima cancel your vote out at lunch.
Me: God, half the state of Georgia's voting with the specific intention of silencing me. I feel so important!

Comments

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Eh, but by ganging up on you they're leaving all those nice people in Atlanta alone. Seriously - good luck!

And also ... BIG STAR! Now I'm earwormed again. We were singing "Thank You Friends" in the car on the way south to NYC just yesterday.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHA I think that if there's such a thing as reciprocal earworming, we just accomplished it, like, spontaneously! Big Star is one of my all time faves.

My office is extremely white and conservative, and Macon is appallingly segregated, but my area of town is one of the few mixed areas, and it was pretty clear in that line that things are going my way in my precinct. Even if Atlanta doesn't manage to throw us into blue statehood -- which obviously I'm hoping it does -- I can at least feel good about my neighbors.

[font.livejournal.com]

So what you're saying is that those electoral projections showing GA going blue are probably not that well-founded?

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Well, if Ga does go blue -- which I think is really possible for about the first time ever -- it will be Atlanta's doing. The rest of Georgia looks a lot like this, all the time.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

I think we need new oval stickers that say I CANCELED OUT YOUR VOTE.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I would totally wear that sticker until it wasn't even sticky any more. :O

[kickthebeat.livejournal.com]

HIGH FIVE LIBERAL PRIDE. ♥ i've had those conversations a few times, over the last two weeks! oh, life in conservative states.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Man, and the thing is that I'm not even in-your-face about being a liberal because I DON'T LIKE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION OVER AND FUCKING OVER. They have no such qualms, though, and the past couple months have been Cammy Season at my office.

I am really, really hoping that I can go to work tomorrow, or some day very very soon, looking quietly yet insufferably smug.

[thalia]

Tell them if Georgia goes for McCain, Illinois will cancel it out, and WE HAVE MORE ELECTORAL VOTES THAN YOU DO, HA HA HA!!!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHA I AM REALLY GOING TO DO THIS if Georgia decides to stay red. I'm hoping I don't have to, though!

This time it's personal.

[coco-palmolive.livejournal.com]

Oh, how sad to be the only liberal anyone in Macon knows personally.

I decided that my vote was specifically cast to cancel out my coworker E., whom I love but whose husband works for our Republican governor and who basically grew up to be the daughter our parents were trying to raise when they ended up with us instead. I also recruited both the Followells, and decided that their votes specifically canceled out E.'s husband and E's employer the Republican governor.

I want a blue state so bad I can taste it.

Re: This time it's personal.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

In my office, at least, there are literally no other liberals than me. It's seriously just wrong.

I love that you're swinging votes your way, kid -- the Followells especially, since I'd've thought they'd be pretty hardcore neocons.

As for the blue state thing: man, I think it's almost a bad thing there's anyone predicting a possible swing for GA, because I'm totally obsessing over it, and also considering taking a nap and waking up in a couple of hours when precincts start reporting in. And just staying up, and staying up. I HAVE TO KNOW AS IT IS (or is not) HAPPENING.

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I'd be feeling all weightless and free if I thought my vote were actually counting for something.

Oh, hee.

*is still biting teeth about NC*

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of edge over your state too. You and Indiana, man, y'all must want us all to have heart attacks.

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

We've never been close in my lifetime (only blue vote since in last 40 years: 1976), so nailbiting is, at worst, giving me pride in and hope for my state.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Seriously: it's pretty fucking awesome.

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

I might even go as far as to say: it's fucking awesome.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

*beams at you*

[octoberstory.livejournal.com]

Whatevs! Date is 11.06.08. NOW who's cancelled like an Aaron Spelling serial, baby? B-)

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in two days I have not had a single person taunting me. It's good to be mighty, dude. *flexes political credibility*