It was a beautiful day and relatively warm for Fall (60s!!!). So I went for a nice run, found some new trails and then showered and walked over to vote.
My polling precinct was in the elementary school three houses down the street. Yaay!
No crowds! There were more volunteers than voters. They wouldn’t allow photographs at the polling place, so I only got one of the entrance sign.
After all the hoopla, I was expecting only two names on the ballot. There are six candidates for US President!
In 2004. I voted for Kerry, but GW won in a landslide. I get the feeling, my candidate is going to lose, again! Heh, there were three important referendum questions on our ballot here. Thank fully we had read up on them ahead of time.
Paper ballot; you mark the ovals with the black sharpie. Then we place it face down in the scanner and it is DONE!
Arun Shanbhag 
Ha Ha Latha!
Good to hear from you too!
On this visit, we will be primarily in Mumbai, but are planning a small trip to Chennai (along with Goa and Kumta).
Perhaps on another visit, we will add Bengaluru. π¦ Will certainly let you know and it will be an honor to meet with you.
Whoever becomes the next US president does’nt really matter to me! I am more excited about your chennai visit! π Are’nt you visiting b’lore?
There are so many bloggers who want to meet me. And I am waiting eagerly to meet two of them, Arun and Asha! π
Ujjwal:
How lucky of you to recite that beautiful poem by Tagore every morning! Certainly enlightened!
I still don’t know what prayers the kids recite at the school named after my grandfather. π
https://arunshanbhag.com/2008/03/26/update-shanbhag-school-kumta/
and see this:
https://arunshanbhag.com/2008/08/17/scholarships-for-the-needy/
Hi,
I agree with you π It is always better to record as there is always room for verifying.
Just read the poem shared by Viji. It was our school anthem kind of. It was translated even in Kannada and we sang it in both the languages everyday.
Hi Viji:
Nice to hear that you took your kids to the polling places! What a thrill and a day to remember!
I love that poem of Tagore. it is sad thought that nearly a 100 years after it was written in India, folks don’t seem to “get” the spirit of that poem. There is so much acrimonious ‘noise’ in the political sphere. I wish politicians would just stop talking so much and actually do some work.
The political discourse here is certainly very nuanced and despite the loud posturing, things end pretty well and all the past is forgotten.
We have a new president!
π
Thank you for sharing the poem.
Arun:
I was expecting a long line but when I stopped by to vote after work, most of the people have already cast their ballot. My kids were excited to see the electronic voting machines π
Shortly after 11:00, when most of the network called off their projection, I think we have to admit that, irrespective of whatever philosophies one may subscribe to, it was a very proud moment in american history – a moment exemplifying the triumph of the human spirit. I was reminded of Tagore and his beautiful poem.
WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
~ Rabindranath Tagore
Ujwal:
You are right – just on my friends lists, I was surprised how many non-americans were “soooo into” this election. Proves the point that America is “still” the beacon for the rest of the world.
I’m not surprised about the paper ballots.
Here it has been shown conclusively that electronic voting machines can be tampered with. In a sense, the paper ballots are scanned instantly and the results tallied. and the paper is saved as a record.
In electronic ballots, there is NO record of how the voters made their choice and we would just have to rely on what ever the machine spits out.
At the height of the Cold War when the US was signing treaties with the USSR, Ronald Reagan said is best: “Trust but Verify.” I think that mindset still carries forth.
Thats cool.. I am actually surprised that in US Paper ballots are used.. since it is Electronic voting machines in lot of places in India.. Obama won! I think this is the first time that a lot of people from all over the world are curious about the US elections!
Cool… I am eagerly waiting for the results. (in fact, most of the people in India are…)
However given the fact that we here use electronic voting machines, I am quite surprised to hear that people in US vote on paper ballot.
Regards,
Poornima.
arunaH uvacHa:
Exciting Night, though I slept at my regular time! π
Yes, was surprised at how many Indians (and europeans, canadians and kenyans) were all into this election.
(see comment below for my thinking on the paper ballots)
Absolutely! The scanner records the results and save the ballot in its innards. Yaay! If there is ever a problem, just take out the ballots and re-scan!
Can understand electronic voting; but could never figure the appeal of the mechanical gizmos – or “doohickey” as Saroj calls them.
Anyway, I am glad this campaign is over!
π
With all the talk about the electronic voting machines, I find it strangely reassuring that in both Boston and North Dakota we are blackening the ovals on paper ballots.
Ha hA!
If my candidate wins, I win!
If my candidate loses, I get a Tax break, the DOW soars, I take early retirement; I Win!
See, either way, I win!
:-))
BO oooooo!
:-E
I’d rather have the paper ballot than the monstrosity we had. Flip this little doohickey and that, turn the crank, I swear…so stupid.
Hehe not to be mean, but I think your candidate’s going to lose again as well…assuming you ended up voting for the candidate I think you voted for! π
Woooo Obama!