So much for being a model citizen

We had local elections in Phoenix today. We're located within the City of Phoenix though we have the Scottsdale postcode and never miss the opportunity to say we're in Scottsdale. But I can't lie to you lot!

September 11th seemed like a strange date for the election, though not for the obvious reason. It's just that we outside the US get so used to the idea that the yanks have elections on the first Tuesday in November. And not just those outside the US. My wife, she of half a century or so of living in the US asked me, he of less than half a decade of living in the US, why the election was today rather than in November. I had no idea.

A couple of weeks ago I told Sonya I'd vote on the way to the office and promptly forgot all about it. I'm blaming the date. Sonya rang me at the office to remind me, having gained a great deal of satisfaction, as she signed the register, at seeing that I had obviously not yet voted! It's the small things methinks.

How shameful that I could forget an election!

I suspect I would have remembered though, on the way home, as the radio blared countless repeats of the Steve Lory for Mayor ad. How curious it all was to hear radio ads for the election on the day of the election itself. Back in Australia it used to be the case that there was an electronic media blackout two days before the election; it probably still is the case though I'm not sure. I have to tell you, I always thought of the blackout as a blessed relief. One can only stomach so many political ads, especially when one has already decided which way to vote.

Thus I stopped at the polling place on the way home. They close the polls at 7 PM here else I wouldn't have made it. Being that it was just past 6 PM and this is an election I expected a queue. You can imagine my shock when I walked in and beheld twelve cardboard booths, four election volunteers sitting along a table against one wall, one election volunteer guarding the ballot box, and no one else! Not one single voter!

I couldn't resist. 'So this is democracy at work, huh?' I said.

At least they laughed.

I now have two I voted today[^] stickers on my computer monitor!