happy hump day

Yester day I worked the election polls. It was the longest day of my life.


It started at 6 am (6AM!) and ended at 10 pm. The polls are only open from 8am to 8 pm but we had to get there early to put up sign all over elementary school we awere at at, and it was freezing! I learned a lot about voting and how it works, it actually very well put together, they way they have everything thought of. At the end of the day I was light-headed from talking so fast, and trying to explain to almost everyone what non-partisan and american independant was, and the differences were. Many people were appaled to find out that they couldnt vote for the democratic side because they had registered AIP (American Independant party) which is actually not neutral, but its own 3rd party, with its own canidates. Which means, for the Primaries (and ONLY the primaries) you have to vote from your own partys' nominations. The Non-partisan people could choose to vote non-partisan, which has no nominations, because it isnt an actual party, but you could vote for the props being passed. Or the democrats and the AIP, in Ventura county, would allow you to also vote for one of thier cannidates. You could only vote on the Republican Ballot if you were already a registered Republican. (Again, this only matters in the primaries, in the actual election in the fall, anyone registered to vote can vote for any party, because its narrowed down)


This confused a lot of people.


At the end of the day we ran around un-taping all the signs, packing everything into thier original containers. We had to count all the ballots, the provisional ballots, the absentee ballots, the spoiled ballots and the electronic ones. Also I didnt know this, but apparently at the end of the polling process, each precinct HAS to post the immeadate electronic votes on the doors outside. So In my precinct, Hilary won by ONE vote (which i thought was interesting) and Huckabee got 28 out of 30 republican votes, which was shocking because I was rooting for him in the beginning, but I had NO idea he had a strong following!


It took us forever to put everything away correctly and each clerk had to sign or initial everything done. then at the end, all the votes were sealed in bags inside a small suitcase, which was to be taken to the firehouse (dont know why) to be hand counted and inspected. All the provisional ballots have to be hand counted for double voting and address verification, beacuse if you vote at the wrong precinct, or you name is not on the list for whatever reason, you have to fill out a provisional ballot, which later is hand inspected, to make sure nobody else in any other precinct voted under your name. Which is why on the news it will say "Kansas, 100%" or "Arizona 92%" that other 8% is the absentee ballots handed in or the provisional ballots still being hand sorted. But it dosnt matter if Obama gets 91%, you can still post it on the news, because even if Hilary were to get the other 9%, Obama would still have the majority.


Which is why your vote still counts as provisional, but it does usually get counted last, after the majority is figured.





I learned alot but I will never do that again! I signed up to vote by mail from now on, so I can look up what I'm voting for, take my time and make sure I remember to vote. You can change your party, voting address or choose to always have you voting ballots mailed to you at the DMV. its easy to fill out, and free to mail.


Hope this helps.





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In other, even-less-exciting news, I got my first issue of NYLON magazine today, as a christmas gift from Urban Outfitters. They gave me a year subscription for free, isnt that nice? It's a musically independant and emo-friendly fashion mag. I love my Glamour, Allure and Seventeen -don't get me wrong- but it's nice to have a different view of things. And to feel emo again, without sacrificing my hair.


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Tomorrow I am meeting up with Valerie (a photographer) for a fitting. She is doing a brial portrait book (to book more weddings) and she saved this photoshoot for last, because it will ruin the dress she has. I believe I'll be doing my first photoshoot in a brial gown, AND submerged in water. fun fun.





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Also, one of my favorite movies of 2007 is out on DVD!


Across the Universe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I'm going to go buy it tonight!





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I saw a really good movie recently, that isn't mainstream. I always like it when people share good movies that are not big-theater-blockbusters, so I;ll share my little discovery with you too. I was wandering through Blockbuster when a little stack of brown DVDs caught my eye. Curious, I rented it and was pleasantly suprised. It's called "Rocket Science" and it's an optimistic view of life through a 15-yr-old High school boy who dreams of love, success and something more. He just so happens to have a horrible speech impediment.


The acting is great and it reminded me of high school, and if you have ever been on the debate team, or model UN, you can definately relate to this cute, quirky, "Juno"-esque film.

xoxo