A GOTV personal tidbit...

Done early voting. Confirmed with a dozen others doing the same. I will take GOTV credit for 3 only , the rest would do without me reminding. Of the three, 2 are 1st-time voters, all three never did straight party ticket before and asked how. So, I met them at the poll and went over with them. Everything went smoothly.

An observation about voter ID law. When I came in to vote, there were 4 persons before me. An election worker, a white man ~ 70 asked for ID the 1st 2 persons, and swiped through a reader attached to a computer. The next 2 were a couple and the husband, also a 70 or 80-ish old man, didn't have it (apparently, his wife was the driver). The election worker let him pass. Strangely, he didn't ask me for ID either. Then, 2 men came up behind me, and he asked both of them. I was a bit curious and as I walked up to the voting machine, I lingered and glanced back to watch the process. Three more persons came in, and although I didn't hear their conversation, he didn't swipe any ID for 2 of them. I didn't watch the 3rd one and started voting.

It went like this: non-white (ID check), non-white (ID check), white (ID check), white (no check) non-white (no check), white (ID check), non-white (ID check), white (no check), white (no check). I didn't think there was any racial profiling. I think the old man is more of a somewhat "mildly senile." He seemed slow; his hand was very slightly shaking when using an optical scanner to read the voter card and his swipe motion was definitely not smooth. But why so arbitrary? I don't think this is some sophisticated scheme of randomization like TSA randomly selects people for addional explosives detection. It didn't make sense, and I concluded that he was not that eager to do the extra work of ID check.

Yesterday, when I helped the 3 friends voting in a different district, there was a longer line and they checked everyone's ID. In fact, one of the friends had moved for several months but didnot update her address on the DL. She explained but they easily accepted. So, I realize that it may not be as bad as it is in real life, because unless a poll worker is very unreasonable, nobody really wants to hassle people. They are not law enforcement, many are volunteer retirees, and not likely to do LE job.

Anyway, one of the lady and I dated just once, and hadn't been in contact for several months, until over a month ago when I recontacted her to urge her register to vote. I knew she would be the type voting for Obama. As we reacquainted, I told her to recruit other friends, and she came up with 2 more. Yesterday, she said she would vote, but suddenly texted me about showing her how to vote straight ticket. It was a good excuse, so we arranged to meet up at lunch time, the 3 ladies voted, and all 4 went to lunch afterward. The only problem is... now one of her friends started texting me . Who knows GOTV may have some complication? just kidding.