It's the 14th today. Yesterday was Tuesday, and known in Minnesota as Primary Election Day. It's a bit different here than other places, since the primary in August is basically for the Congressional elections, a Senator if one of the 6 year terms is up for renewal, and 8 Representatives. Presidential choices were voted on in March, just before we arrived. It's a single ballot covering both parties, but if you start with one party for one office, you have to stick with that same party. Just saving paper, instead of a whole ballot for each party.
Other, down-ballot elections - unless more has changed than I'm yet aware of - get put on the ballots during the November general election, in this case the Presidential election. You can still get 4 or 5 people vying for a single spot, but they get only one crack at it. Most of those elections are not by party affiliation. Back when I was running in our city, we didn't even have to sign up to run until September, but back then that was the primary elections day as well. As far out of local politics as I am, I haven't bothered to find out if that's changed as well. I'll figure out who the people are in a couple more months.
I knew when the Primary was, since it made the news several days ahead of time. Steve and I made a point of heading over to vote in the early afternoon, after the local lunch break voting crowd had cleared out and before people with full day jobs out of town were back for the day and making those long lines after supper. Steve had thought he'd scooter up, but when it was time he decided the car would be easier on his back. That of course meant he'd need to stand for the process, so short lines were a must.
We got our new drivers licenses once we had the new permanent address, and got registered in the process, so that part was done. We got mail confirming our precinct for where it meant we were to vote. I knew where it used to be, meaning like in the last MN town we lived in, city hall. But I checked online before we left just to be sure. Yep, 4 blocks away, in the big room where council meetings and other events were held. I'd been to one there wayyyyyy back in the day, just popping in to visit and see how another town did things compared to ours. I liked ours better of course. If I hadn't I would have made changes. Mayors get to do that.
What really shocked me was the mail each of us got this morning. It was issued on the 8th, coming out of the county government center, about 3 miles away. It had a huge bunch of information on it for a postcard, giving our Congressional district (national) which was same as for the previous town about 7 miles away, Senate district and House district for state offices, Commissioner district for the county, and soil and water district. Just for that bundle of info alone I'll be keeping this card so I'll know who to research in the fall.
The part of today's card that shocked me, however, was the listing of our polling place, by building name, address, and directions to get there from the highway. We voted yesterday! Good thing I was proactive, eh? Before setting the card down, I pulled off the little round I VOTED sticker off the paper I'd stuck it on yesterday, and affixed it to this ironically late, wannabe helpful, piece of mail. I'll remember just how useful it might have been if needed next time I pull it out to look at it.
It occurs to me to wonder if anybody actually needing to receive one got theirs on time... LIKE YESTERDAY!
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