I’ve said it before, but I love my polling place. Sadly, as was reported in Sunday’s Tribune, yesterday was the last time I’ll ever get to use it.
I’m so sad! Sad, to lose my polling place, but also sad to lose the ceremony and ritual of voting. I like the official feeling of it all. Sitting at your kitchen table, filling out your ballot in spurts, eventually spilling something on it, does not on officious occasion make. Plus, I want my ‘I voted’ sticker, damn it.
So, yesterday, I took some scones to the poll ladies and thanked them for their service. I let them know how special it all was for me, how I loved that everything was exactly the same since the first time I voted there, way back in 1994. I also took some sneaky pictures for posterity’s sake. I wanted to document the whole thing more thoroughly, but I was afraid it would be against the law, or something.
Isn’t it so cute? It’s like walking into 1964 all of a sudden. The shiny floors and that yellow, gym-lighting are so charming and old time-y to me.
”…. Back in my day, kids, there was this giant official-feeling printed ballot, and we would use these always satisfyingly moist, and mysteriously capless pens to vote ‘No’ on stupid Tim Eyeman initiatives*.”
Farewell, dear Grange, nice old ladies, and always pleasurable civic duty. SB did say he’d rig me up some sort of voting booth in the house for the next one. I’m thinking the shower?
* Oh. Um. Hmmm. Well then.
Nooooo! I love voting in person, even when my kids make it a stressful experience.
I have to remember to mail something?
This is the end of my democracy!
I LOVE this post! It captures this so perfectly. I, too, am so sad to not be able to GO vote. My polling place was moved this time and it was packed. It was awesome to see so many voters, but I felt like they were trying to make it hard to vote there to encourage mailing in your ballot. Hmmph. I like the sticker and the bake sale that my old polling place used to have. Maybe we can have a voting party in your shower next year!
We must resist the move towards all-mail voting. If we really want to increase turnout, especially amongst traditionally low-turnout groups such as the young and low-income, voters should be able to register at the polling place on election day, with proper ID. If the polling places are closed, it’s going to be harder to make that happen.
The Waller Road Grange looks awesome. (They turn out a good fruit arrangement at the fair, too!) The church we vote at isn’t nearly so charming. Bummed you got no pictures of the election workers, but it was sweet of you to take them scones!
Bye bye, Waller Road Grange. I voted there many times. It’s where I cast my very first ballot.
Thanks for the shoutout to my story! I blogged about your post here:
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/street/2007/11/07/more_on_voting_at_the_grange
What a cool place, and how sweet of you to think of the volunteers. I’m sure they appreciated you thoughtfulness, especially on what looked like a very cold morning!
I hate to say it, but I am a mail voter. My polling place just…scares me…
Well, bust my buttons and god bless america, you could not look less like your (Rob) Zombie self!
I used to vote at a grange hall once, back in Charlton Mass. I also did step aerobics and had homeschoolers mtgs/classes there. Good times. Sorry you’re switching to mail-in, Tacoma. :hug:
Your post was beautiful, Jenny. Such a nice tribute (but I’m a little jealous about the scones:).
no more voting in person?! That seems a little bit crazy & a nice way to make it even harder to vote…hmph.
very nice post…my first ballot was cast at the fire station near my mom’s house..now I go down the street to the local Lutheran church. But voting in person on election day totally makes the entire experience of voting.
xo
This has got to be my favorite ZE post, ever. Killer shots.
Jen: I know! I’ll never get to take my kids to a polling place.
Maybe we should move. (Just kidding, Tacoma! Love you!)
Noreen: A voting party! I love that idea!
Jamie: Oh my god. You just totally made my day. The produce murals at the fair! THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE PART! And yes, the Grange always represents. Did you see their Pike Place themed one this year? – I agree with your polling place suggestions, also. How can we ever be sure of the integrity of one’s vote without polling places. A controlling spouse couls make their partner vot a certain way. You couls be paid to vote a certain way. Also, how can we ever be sure that our vote is counted after we just drop it in the mail?
Edward: Me, too! Your parent’s must live near mine. I guess I should have said in this post that I never switched my registration to our Tacoma address because I love the Grange so much.
fontaine: Thank YOU for your shout out! Welcome News Tribune link clickers! I liked your story about the Grange. I’m glad I’m not the only on ewho loves it.
Camille: Yeah, I bet you were loving your LA address when you saw those pictures, eh? – You SHOULD be able to do mail-in if you PREFER. We shouldn’t be forced to!
dar: Yes, that’s my ‘on my way to Workplace’ look.
Elizaebeth: Thanks, Lizzie. They were pumkin spice…
dahli: I know, right? Now it will just be something I need to make time for. I really like this idea of somehow making it a fun experience. I’ll have to think of some way to create ceremony before next year.
Jesse: Oh thanks! Photography compliments from you mean a lot.
Yes, if was warmer outside I’d love my L.A. address. But our mornings look extremely familiar and I’m freezing cold at night. However, I can’t complain when the sun comes out in the afternoon and it’s 70 degrees out…even though I’m still cold!
Jenny, I really appreciate this blog – and you are so cute there in front of the grange. I thought of you when I read the TNT story. As a side note, this is a great reason for you to come with us the next time we contra dance – they’re usually at a grange or community building and make you feel all cozy and part of a community. -K
Camille: I hear you on the alwasy cold. Another thing Bikram is good for! Warming up!
Tacoma Friend: Dude, I am so with you. It’s Aaron that needs convincing. Does Alex go?
Did you hear we might get another year at least of the polls? You might not be done with Waller Road!
Yes I did! I hope so. I’m not ready to be done!
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Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
What an amusing and yet poignant post. The sense of community takes another hit without polling places. Not only polling places in general, but that particular polling location are facing tough times. Another response mentioned the agricultural displays Waller Road Grange and other Granges install at the Western Washington Fair; that and serving as a polling location are only two of the most visible ways Waller Road Grange contributes to the community. The Grange also hosts a community fair, maintains the one-room schoolhouse on the grounds, invites local schoolchildren to plant and harvest a garden to teach the students about where their food originates, and many other worthwhile projects. Other Granges in the county participate in the Words for Thirds program to donate dictionaries to children, work with many other charities, and remain active in their communities. But activities like the displays at the Puyallup Fair (which require quite a bit of time and effort) and the Pierce County Fair may soon be casualties of the times. Interest in the Grange has been on the wane for decades and that seems to be the case with many other fraternal and civic organizations. It is particularly unfortunate because in this time of uncertainty the community support these groups have provided is needed more than ever. In the past thirty years, the number of Granges in Pierce County has been halved, with those in Parkland, Fife, Sumner, Vaughn, Graham, Kapowsin, and Elbe (among others) closing. The good news is that eleven Granges in Pierce County are still working with their communities. In addition to Waller Road, they are Collins (south of Tacoma), Elk Plain (outside Spanaway), Roy, Ohop (west of Eatonville), Fruitland (in South Hill), Riverside Valley (along the Puyallup River near where Puyallup, Tacoma, and Fife meet), Gig Harbor, Edgewood, Marion (west of Buckley), and McMillin (between Sumner and Orting). If anyone is interested, they can check the Washington State Grange’s website (www.wa-grange.org) to learn more or to find the nearest Grange. In the meantime, enjoy the fair displays (and polling places!) while they last.
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