Civic duty

I voted yesterday in the Virginia state and local election.

On my way in, the local Democrats handed me a “sample ballot”, on blue paper, with their list of whom to check off in each category, from soil and water conservation board to Delegate and State Senator. The volunteer could have got less up my nose if he hadn’t mansplained the blindingly obvious as though I’d driven up on a turnip truck on my way to a matinée of Barbie, but that’s the Old Dominion for you.

(The Republicans were there, too, but since I was wearing my Force for Science tee shirt from the 2017 March for Science, they might have judged me not worth the effort. Interestingly, their “sample ballot” was also printed on blue paper.)

What I find interesting about the process is that the sidewalk to the polling place is chockablock with campaign signs; multiple signs for each candidate. 

This makes me wonder—does anyone coming to vote in an election find themselves deciding on the candidate for them based on one of those signs? Like, “I was really unclear about whom to pick for Sheriff, but now that I’ve seen his signs, I am totally behind Foghorn P. Leghorn. Yep—he’s the man for the job!”

Well—that’s the Old Dominion for you.