I dropped off my ballot yesterday and had 3 encounters that encouraged me. [View all]

[MLAA]

I took my ballot to a drop off location. They will also become an early voting site next week. There was a steady stream dropping off ballots. There were 3 windows with a sign indicating they were there for voting questions. I’d automatically signed my inner ballot envelope as I normally would with a middle initial rather than full middle name yet the name on my ballot included my full middle name, so I went up to the window and asked if that would be a problem. The guy said no, as long as my signature matched, no issue and he confirmed I’d put my phone number on the envelope. While there I asked how he it was going and he said they were filling up a drop box about every hour! Now, here’s my 3 encounters:

1. I have an exercise session twice a week. During yesterday’s I asked my trainer if he’d received his ballot. He said his wife had but he hadn’t. I told him about the website to check on his ballot. He checked and it indicated no ballot had been sent. I assured him I could be trusted count my own reps and say good job while he called to figure out the problem. Turns out there was some issue with an address change he’d made on Motor Vehicles Division that was suppose to update voting records that didn’t work. So he was told where he needed to go to remedy the situation. A blue vote is now insured! PS: During the 10 minutes he was on the phone, I completed all required reps and didn’t slack off, though I considered it 😬.

2. As I was leaving the drop off parking area, I saw an electric scooter with an old white dude heading in. At that distance all I could see was an American flag waving from the back. And sadly, my first reaction was an old white dude was on his way to vote for TFG. As he got closer I had to admonish myself, because now I could see a rainbow flag behind the American Flag as well as a Harris - Walz sign. I quickly lowered the window and yelled ‘Go Harris’. Without looking over or slowing down the dude gave me a thumbs up and kept going.

3. Next stop UPS. I’ve been going there for years and the manager provides the best customer service I’ve seen anywhere. As I was leaving I reminded him not to forget to vote. He said I haven’t missed a vote since I was 18 and first voted for Bush Sr. I thought damn, how could Carlos, a Latino man around mid 50s who was so kind, vote for Trump? So I said I hope you steer clear of Trump this go-around. He grimaced and said I’d never vote for him!

It was a wonderful day.