Some reflections on elections.

Despite my complaining, which must be quite aggravating, I do enjoy working as an election inspector. Its many benefits include usually having time to get some extra reading in, providing its not a presidential year or too heavily challenged primary. You get to say hi to neighbors/acquaintences you don't speak with very often. The honor of knowing you're a part of a free system, and often the recipients of honest compliments[mostly by those who are older]. ONe of the joys I really like is when parents bring their children in with them, we get to give the kids stickers, and when their parent's finished ballot is returned and finally placed in the couting machine, I often have the kids help me, this usually brings a big smile to their faces and thanks from their parents. And sometimes a horrified look from another poll worker or stern voter ... but who cares because so far the election clerk has smiled on the act. Now to yesterday's experience. There was only two people running for school board members, with no opposition because you had to vote for two; made me wish I had run for the position just to make people think a little more, no one would elect me because I'm not well known, and besides I wouldn't want to replace someone who was actually a benefit to the school board. The position receives no pay, but certainly often an extremely large amount of complaining; ... at this point I must admit I do get a small stipend for working the polls, and occasionally we'll get that upset voter, but nothing I am sure that school board members receive. Still I did serve as an election inspector where I came here from in Illinois for nine years and never received any pay for that ..and I would do it here even if there was no stipend .... Its an honor first! Also on the ballot was an issue about millage for a County Historical Park. The issue has come up before and been defeated, and so I didn't vote on it because I don't own any property so I felt it would be unethical [though not illegal] to raise someone else property tax for my pleasure; though if asked my opinion I certainly was for it.
By the way the millage passed and the park, which has museum, historic village, beach w/picnic area and recreational areas [a lot of re-enactments take place here]for the next seven years. I guess my major complaint is with the voting system. With only two people on the ballot and one millage issue, a lot of money was spent. Neither the city, the school or the county could afford that vote. Since the county attached the millage issue, the county had to pay for the vote. That meant innumerable ballots printed that will never be used; in our ward alone only about 190 people voted, but because there were 890 qualified to vote that's how many ballots there were, and that's just one example...and then the usage of the facilities were all the votes throughout the county took place, the stipends paid to each poll worker, the time of the city/county employees involved ..... a lot of costs. It seems to me that some elections could be made to run concurrent with other ones and millage issues would have to be decided at those times. But I guess that's just how the system goes - well, maybe someone in the future will change it so that its more efficient; yet I don't want the voting to be eliminated. As we were talking about the extremely low turnout an election inspector suggested that anyone who received an type of entitlement from the government, regardless of how small or large it was, should be required to vote and show proof before they received their next benefit - now that sounded right - you want to receive any loan, you want to recieve any entitlement, you want to use an government facility, to hold a government job,etc.... right on! All in all, another good day.