It was impossible for me as a newcomer to figure out who to vote for. I'm used to decent election coverage from the local newspaper or a mailer from the League of Women Voters. Here? Nothing besides a listing of the candidates and polling places. Outside of the published meeting minutes, the paper doesn't report on school board issues.
Because (or regardless, depending on one's level of cynicism) of the lack of media coverage, votes seemed to be garnered more by one's name recognition and standing in the community as opposed to campaigning on issues. I'm sure this happens everywhere to some extent; but family names, although quite familiar to me at this point, mean nothing when it comes time to step inside the voting booth. Well, if there were actually voting booths here...
Since I couldn't not vote, I decided to go with the two incumbents out of the six candidates. I figured I would have heard some uproar about either one of them if anything controversial had transpired during their respective terms.
I went to the elementary school to vote during my lunch break. Every jurisdiction is different, so I waited for instruction from the poll workers after showing my ID and answering the requisite "Are you a teacher?" question. (White man in Mission=teacher. No joke, I get this question all the time.) I was given a paper ballot and told to go to the back of the room.
Silly me, I looked for the booths with the red-white-and-blue-striped curtains. (Bri, you're not in Juneau anymore.) I must have looked perplexed when I asked the ladies again where I needed to go. This time, they were more specific: Find a pencil and fill out the ballot at one of the tables. So much for privacy.
I picked my two candidates, folded my slip, and placed it into the box. And that was it. I didn't even receive one of those nifty "I voted today" stickers. In Juneau, I always voted prior to going to work not only to get it out of the way, but also to be able to wear my sticker all day.
When I returned to work, I asked LaCosta if what I had experienced was par for the course on the rez. Sometimes, she said, stand-up boards are provided, partially shielding one voter from another. But for the most part, everything is out in the open. And the setup here is similar to the one in the small, non-reservation town she grew up in.
Life truly is different here, and yesterday was yet another example of that. But I learned some lessons for the future. Like I now must start attending school board meetings. And I need to contact the Secretary of State to see about providing stickers to voters.
2 comments:
I have voted in primary elections in Chugiak with no barriers, just sitting at a table by myself. However, I got a sticker!
But that's Chugiak. We have running water here.
Post a Comment