Why I Early Voted

I voted three weeks ago. The process was so easy. I was one of three people voting at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Thursday, October 9. My co-workers, many of whom still are not at work yet because they are standing in line voting, mocked me and said my vote wouldn't be counted. It was counted this past weekend along with all the other absentee ballots in Cuyahoga County. I have slept like a baby for the past three nights knowing I have already voted and my vote has been counted.

This morning our alarm clock went off at 5:30. My girlfriend had to get up earlier than usual to vote. As she drove off to wait in line, I watched CNN and got ready for work peacefully. I left a little early to go get my free Starbucks coffee, which every person who voted today is able to get. I was the only one at Starbucks. I flashed my "I voted sticker" which I kept because they gave me three of them back on October 9 when there was a sticker surplus. I saw another person in there who had just left the polls. She looked excited but tired. I gave her a refreshed smile and a look of confidence that every Obama supporter is passing on today, and kept on my merry way. As I drove to work, I passed lines of people standing outside waiting to vote. I got a text from my girlfriend who voted but didn't get a sticker for her free coffee. Apparently there were no stickers to be found. Bummer. I listened to CNN on my XM radio, and found out there are already voting machine issues in major battleground cities. Can someone explain to me how five of the seven voting machines in Richmond VA, have already broken after only an hour? (Aunt Mary: you live in Richmond, whats going on with your Board of Elections?) I was the first person at work today. As more people walked in, there were stories of long lines and the inability to vote due to time constraints. I just sipped on my free coffee and tried not to mock them as they had mocked me only three weeks earlier.