Not So Fast

We voters are under some unusual pressures this year. In her eloquent convention speech, Michelle Obama asked those who plan on voting by mail to apply early for their absentee ballots, if they don’t already vote that way, and turn them around quickly. With doubts in play about the US Postal Service, that sounds like good advice. The Postmaster General has said that planned cutbacks on postal service were being suspended until after the election, which is a good thing.

Even so, I hate to be a cold water-thrower here, but there is one downside to being in a hurry to return mail-in ballots. There are many other things on the average ballot besides the Presidential race. US Senate, Congress, county board of supervisors, city council, school board and other local contests will also be happening. And then there are the ballot measures, statewide and local.

In the not-so-old days, we had the luxury of time to do a little research, listen to the arguments back and forth, and cogitate before casting our votes. I could always count on my local newspapers (remember those?) to publish their list of endorsements and their reasons for coming to their conclusions. Maybe I’m living in a bubble (along with the others we’re in these days), but if I were one of those running for the city council or advocating a vote on a critical ballot measure, I might be saying, “Hey, don’t forget about me!” What’s important on a local level may be drowned out by the noise generated by top-of-the-ticket races.

A small point, but if your absentee ballot does come in the mail, I’d advise you to scan a copy or two in your printer, if you have one,  and use the copies to practice on. I for one, hate filling out forms and have been known to check the wrong boxes. You don’t want to rush through filling out the real ballot. If you “spoil” it, it may take time to get another one.

I have a reputation among my friends for worrying about nothing. Maybe this is just another example. But I’m only trying to remind myself, and perhaps a few others, that this election season is not all about Donald Trump. Isn’t there enough of that noise already?