In Which I Voted Today!

Having lived in Massachusetts now for four years and three national elections, I think I can say with some confidence that the only time I can tell someone I'm from Ohio and not get a look of either pity or scorn (or a mixture of both) is during an election cycle. People haven't been as excited to find out I vote in Ohio this time around (perhaps because most of my acquaintances already know that about me), but in 2004, whenever someone found out I was voting absentee, I and my birthplace immediately became that much more interesting. While in normal times, Ohio is a state that seems to be universally looked down upon (and not always rightly, mind you), in an election year, an Ohioan has something special which for many a year past - and probably many a year to come - no person from Massachusetts has laid claim to: a vote that counts.

This morning I opened my mailbox to find that it was time for me to cast that vote. I was excited, not by the thrill of voting, but by the fact that the ballot had actually reached me at all. In 2004, it almost didn't. Turns out even Cleveland, one of Ohio's centers of art, culture, and intellectualism (if such a place can be said to exist), has its share of simple-minded Ohioans (read: idiots). It was the semester before I started college, and I was living in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston with my aunt and uncle. After arranging for my absentee ballot to be send there, I eagerly awaited its arrival, only to be disappointed week after week. A call to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections revealed that the ballot was on its way. Another week passed with no ballot, and I requested that another be sent, which, according to the B of E, was done. Still no ballot. Finally, my father went in person to the Board of Elections to see what the problem was. Turns out the ballots were sent not to Jamiaca Plain in Boston, MA, but to Jamaica. The country. See the maps below if you need help visualizing this.











But I guess all's well that ends well: my father straightened things out and a new ballot arrived to the correct location just in time for me to vote. Plus, somewhere in the island nation of Jamaica, a couple ballots with my name on them might still be floating around. Everyone's a winner.*

Happy voting.




*John Kerry excluded.