It started around 6:30 a.m. at North Heights, and 91 miles, 10 precincts, 18 people interviewed, two coffees, a cheese rollup, a crunchy taco and a bean burrito later, it ends with a final blog post at 7:33 p.m. at my office desk.
People in Amarillo, of all ages, colors and hopes, voiced their opinion as only they can. It was democracy in action on a warm windy day.
And where would I be without Jack Simpson, precinct election judge at the No. 2 Fire Station in rural Randall County. For an interview, he kindly walked with me outside a safe distance from the voting booths in compliance with federal voting laws.
"This way," he said, "I won't have to arrest you."
Showing posts with label jmb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jmb. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Under the wire
Dr. Jim Bob Parker, an orthopedic surgeon, was operating in the voter booth at Austin Middle School virtually alone. He finished voting at 6:59 p.m., one of many around the city who got in just under the 7 p.m. closing time of the polls.
It was by design.
"It was to avoid the lines," he said. "Everybody I talked to was going to vote before work or at noon on their lunch hour, so I decided to wait until the end."
Maybe voting habits are hard to break too.
"When I was in medical training in Houston, I always voted at the last minute," he said. "That seemed to be about the only time I had."
Parker, having already gone home and changed clothes, said he lives about two miles from Austin. Were you worried an extra stoplight or an accident could be a fatal delay?
"About three blocks away I knew I' d make it," he said.
It was by design.
"It was to avoid the lines," he said. "Everybody I talked to was going to vote before work or at noon on their lunch hour, so I decided to wait until the end."
Maybe voting habits are hard to break too.
"When I was in medical training in Houston, I always voted at the last minute," he said. "That seemed to be about the only time I had."
Parker, having already gone home and changed clothes, said he lives about two miles from Austin. Were you worried an extra stoplight or an accident could be a fatal delay?
"About three blocks away I knew I' d make it," he said.
Have vote, will NOT travel
A total of 829 had voted at Randall County Precinct No. 222 at St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church at 4100 S. Coulter by 5:30 p.m. It could have been in the 830s if not for a little irritant known as state and federal voting laws.
Paul Matney, alternate election judge for the precinct, said a family from Corpus Christi and a couple from Fort Worth asked if it were possible to vote at the church.
"They were very, very nice," Matney said of the two families. "They were here to do business, and forgot to vote back home, and wanted to see if they could vote here."
With the exception of early voting, Matney said, voters can only cast a ballot where they are registered.
"They could have voted a limited ballot if it were early voting," Matney said. "That would include any statewide and federal races, but no local ones. But you can't even do that on election day."
Paul Matney, alternate election judge for the precinct, said a family from Corpus Christi and a couple from Fort Worth asked if it were possible to vote at the church.
"They were very, very nice," Matney said of the two families. "They were here to do business, and forgot to vote back home, and wanted to see if they could vote here."
With the exception of early voting, Matney said, voters can only cast a ballot where they are registered.
"They could have voted a limited ballot if it were early voting," Matney said. "That would include any statewide and federal races, but no local ones. But you can't even do that on election day."
WTAMU rocks the vote
Fareen Ahmed, a West Texas A&M senior nursing student from Houston, completed her first presidential vote around 4 p.m. She feels so red, white and blue now.
"I actually feel more patriotic," she said. "It's such a big day in our history. There's so much diversity on campus and so many different opinions on Obama and McCain. It was interesting to hear what students had to say."
Ahmed was wearing a light blue "WTAMU Rocks The Vote" T-shirt, which she got for free for registering to vote.
"Well, I did want the shirt," she said, "but I would have registered anyway."
She was with Alyson Cantu, a graduate student from Crosbyton. Cantu is an old pro at this presidential voting, having done so the first time in 2004. Cantu voted at the Randall County Justice Center just north of campus.
"There's wasn't as much hype in 2004 as this one," she said. "There's so much talk on Facebook and MySpace. There's definitely a greater interest.
"Marketing strategies by both candidates have targeted this age group. There's so much talk about education reform, and college students feel like they have a voice that needs to be heard."
"I actually feel more patriotic," she said. "It's such a big day in our history. There's so much diversity on campus and so many different opinions on Obama and McCain. It was interesting to hear what students had to say."
Ahmed was wearing a light blue "WTAMU Rocks The Vote" T-shirt, which she got for free for registering to vote.
"Well, I did want the shirt," she said, "but I would have registered anyway."
She was with Alyson Cantu, a graduate student from Crosbyton. Cantu is an old pro at this presidential voting, having done so the first time in 2004. Cantu voted at the Randall County Justice Center just north of campus.
"There's wasn't as much hype in 2004 as this one," she said. "There's so much talk on Facebook and MySpace. There's definitely a greater interest.
"Marketing strategies by both candidates have targeted this age group. There's so much talk about education reform, and college students feel like they have a voice that needs to be heard."
Kinda out there
This out-of-the-way Randall County Precinct certainly isn't Hooterville, but it's got as much of a rural feel as any in the immediate Amarillo-Canyon area.
"This is a neighborhood precinct," said election judge Jack Simpson, wearing a "Judge Jack" identification sticker. "Everyone knows everyone. That's my house behind that green roof shed over there."
It has to be the only Randall County voting precinct in a fire station. It is housed in Randall County Fire Station No. 2 on Hollywood Road about two miles or so west of I-27. Technically, it's 9451 FM Road 2186. It encompasses much of the Greyhawk Landing area.
The precinct has only been in existence since 2005, and has had several homes. It's been at the fire station for a little more than a year, although currently there are no active firemen stationed there. Only the trucks are in the bays.
"It's a lovely sight," Simpson said. "The firemen were here last year and were good hosts. It's been very good for us.
"Our first year we were at Hollywood Baptist Church and then were co-located with another precinct at Arden Road Baptist Church."
A little more than 800 registered voters are on the roll. About 47 percent voted during the early period. Around 130 had voted through 3:30 p.m.
"We've been averaging about 20 an hour," Simpson said. "We're going to have 60 to 70 percent turnout which will exceed our norm. It's a huge turnout."
Getting the hang of it
Computer screens in voting booths are nothing new. Precinct 418 Judge Tom Higley estimates they've been around for 10 years or longer. Each election they seem to become less of a technical issue for older voters.
"For those who are 85 and up, they come in here and it throws them a bit," he said. "They got no computer. They don't e-mail. They've never heard of a blog. One thing we tell them, it's not a touch screen.
"But by the time someone helps them and they've done it, they smile and say, 'Oh, that was easier than I thought.'"
That's progress compared to an incident Higley remembers about four years ago.
"One old boy got so mad and frustrated he just walked out," he said. "He was mad at the world. And he's not been back."
"For those who are 85 and up, they come in here and it throws them a bit," he said. "They got no computer. They don't e-mail. They've never heard of a blog. One thing we tell them, it's not a touch screen.
"But by the time someone helps them and they've done it, they smile and say, 'Oh, that was easier than I thought.'"
That's progress compared to an incident Higley remembers about four years ago.
"One old boy got so mad and frustrated he just walked out," he said. "He was mad at the world. And he's not been back."
A different animal
Tom Higley has been Precinct 418 election judge at Paramount Terrace Elementary for seven years. He can go back as far as the 1970s when he was a Democrat precinct chairman. And there is nothing quite like a presidential election.
"Oh, my gosh," he said while waiting for a co-worker to bring back lunch. "Other elections, we might have three or four waiting for us to open at 7 a.m. We probably had 40 today and they were outside.
"It was kind of cold at that hour and some of them had short-sleeved shirts on. He had them come inside while we finished setting up. Then five minutes before we opened, we had them go outside so they could officially come through the doors."
As of 1 p.m., Paramount Terrace had some of the highest traffic with 351 having voted.
"Oh, my gosh," he said while waiting for a co-worker to bring back lunch. "Other elections, we might have three or four waiting for us to open at 7 a.m. We probably had 40 today and they were outside.
"It was kind of cold at that hour and some of them had short-sleeved shirts on. He had them come inside while we finished setting up. Then five minutes before we opened, we had them go outside so they could officially come through the doors."
As of 1 p.m., Paramount Terrace had some of the highest traffic with 351 having voted.
Lite Lunch
Lunchtime traffic was surprisingly light at Western Plateau Elementary. Only two were voting at 12:40 p.m. with seven voting booths empty. And the total of 189 virtually matched who had voted at a similar time at Eastridge.
I would have thought more would have voted in the 45th and Western neighborhood than an area where the majority are immigrants. That speaks well for Eastridge.
Mike and Amy Watson were hurrying to vote while they could. She is a nursing student at Amarillo College. Mike came home at noon to check on a plumber and the progress of his work at their house.
"We were both home and I said, 'Hey, let's go vote real quick,' and so here we are," Amy said.
I would have thought more would have voted in the 45th and Western neighborhood than an area where the majority are immigrants. That speaks well for Eastridge.
Mike and Amy Watson were hurrying to vote while they could. She is a nursing student at Amarillo College. Mike came home at noon to check on a plumber and the progress of his work at their house.
"We were both home and I said, 'Hey, let's go vote real quick,' and so here we are," Amy said.
Melting pot casting ballots
East Amarillo is a melting pot of those from Laos, Vietnam, Somalia and other countries. Eastridge Elementary is the target precinct for many such immigrants. It reflects the new face of the far eastern part of the city. By noon, more than 200 had voted.
Joseph Phangniaong is a native of Laos. He has lived in Amarillo for 27 years. He now has an extended family of 40 living in Amarillo. And he votes every election.
"Oh, yes," he said. "And I vote Republican."
What does voting in a free election mean to him?
"Liberty," he said.
Then there's Linh Nguyen, who brought her 17-month-old son, Johnbosco Tran, with her to vote. For the young mother, who was born in Vietnam and has lived in the U.S. for 15 years, this marked the first time she has voted.
"I want to vote for McCain," she said of the candidate who spent time as a POW in her former country. "I heard McCain is really good and I want him to be the president."
Joseph Phangniaong is a native of Laos. He has lived in Amarillo for 27 years. He now has an extended family of 40 living in Amarillo. And he votes every election.
"Oh, yes," he said. "And I vote Republican."
What does voting in a free election mean to him?
"Liberty," he said.
Then there's Linh Nguyen, who brought her 17-month-old son, Johnbosco Tran, with her to vote. For the young mother, who was born in Vietnam and has lived in the U.S. for 15 years, this marked the first time she has voted.
"I want to vote for McCain," she said of the candidate who spent time as a POW in her former country. "I heard McCain is really good and I want him to be the president."
If at first you don't succeed...
James Zachidny walked away from voting at Eastridge Elementary around 11:55 a.m. feeling like he's just finished a scavenger hunt.
"I had hell finding the place," said the retired laborer.
He's not kidding. It took him about 90 minutes to find his proper voting precinct, which ended up less than two blocks from his home.
Zachidny initially went to the Santa Fe building around 10:30 a.m., but was told that was for early voting only. He was sent to a fire station precinct, but found out that was not right.
He was told to try the Potter County Courthouse, and that didn't work. But at least he found out from the clerk's office where he was supposed to vote. And it was a stone's throw from his own house.
"This is the fourth place I've been to," Zachidny said. "But I was watching TV and they were keeping tabs with the early voting this morning, and how it was going back and forth and about a 1- or 2-point difference. I figure I better cast my vote no matter what it took because every vote is going to mean something."
"I had hell finding the place," said the retired laborer.
He's not kidding. It took him about 90 minutes to find his proper voting precinct, which ended up less than two blocks from his home.
Zachidny initially went to the Santa Fe building around 10:30 a.m., but was told that was for early voting only. He was sent to a fire station precinct, but found out that was not right.
He was told to try the Potter County Courthouse, and that didn't work. But at least he found out from the clerk's office where he was supposed to vote. And it was a stone's throw from his own house.
"This is the fourth place I've been to," Zachidny said. "But I was watching TV and they were keeping tabs with the early voting this morning, and how it was going back and forth and about a 1- or 2-point difference. I figure I better cast my vote no matter what it took because every vote is going to mean something."
What's in a name?
With a name like Liberty Calloway, you might think this mother of a 12- and 9-year old would take voting seriously. And you would be right.
"I guess I feel like it's my responsibility," she said. "I want to be an informed voter."
She might have been the most informed of the first 150 voters Tuesday at Humphrey's Highland Elementary. Once a voter gets past the presidential, U.S. Senate, and the sheriff's races, there can be a lot of unknown candidates in oh-by-the-way offices.
"Actually, I read about them before I voted and wrote down who I wanted to vote for and brought it with me," Calloway said. "It was my cheat sheet. We get so focused on the president that there's not a lot of focus on the statewide and local races."
Liberty met her husband, Josh, an electrician, around 11 a.m. to vote. Her 12-year-old daughter voted in a mock election at Austin Middle School last week where Barack Obama won. Voting is a big deal in the Calloway house.
"We have a calendar at home, and on Nov. 4, we've got written, 'VOTE,'" she said.
"I guess I feel like it's my responsibility," she said. "I want to be an informed voter."
She might have been the most informed of the first 150 voters Tuesday at Humphrey's Highland Elementary. Once a voter gets past the presidential, U.S. Senate, and the sheriff's races, there can be a lot of unknown candidates in oh-by-the-way offices.
"Actually, I read about them before I voted and wrote down who I wanted to vote for and brought it with me," Calloway said. "It was my cheat sheet. We get so focused on the president that there's not a lot of focus on the statewide and local races."
Liberty met her husband, Josh, an electrician, around 11 a.m. to vote. Her 12-year-old daughter voted in a mock election at Austin Middle School last week where Barack Obama won. Voting is a big deal in the Calloway house.
"We have a calendar at home, and on Nov. 4, we've got written, 'VOTE,'" she said.
Not gonna vote
Barack Obama missed out on one potential vote. Scott Garcia, meat department manager for United Supermarkets on River Road, did not register to vote. But if he did, he'd have voted for Obama.
"McCain is just going to carry on what Bush did," said Garcia during a smoke break. "If I would have voted for anyone, it would have been Obama."
So how much does Garcia believe a vote counts?
"As many people as vote on a presidential election, not too much," he said. "Look at the problems they had with Bush in his first election. It doesn't seem like they all get counted."
"McCain is just going to carry on what Bush did," said Garcia during a smoke break. "If I would have voted for anyone, it would have been Obama."
So how much does Garcia believe a vote counts?
"As many people as vote on a presidential election, not too much," he said. "Look at the problems they had with Bush in his first election. It doesn't seem like they all get counted."
Stumping for her husband, Part II
Pamela Stevens was making the rounds Tuesday morning on behalf of her husband, Scott, a candidate for Potter County commissioner Precinct 3. Unlike Charlotte Thomas, the wife of sheriff candidate Brian Thomas, Stevens is not staying in one spot.
She started the day at Bushland Elementary School, then to Pleasant Valley, before heading on to River Road High School, Highland Park High School, de Zevala Middle School, and Avondale Elementary.
"He wants all four precincts to work together and enable all departments to do their jobs the best they can without hopefully raising taxes," he said.
She started the day at Bushland Elementary School, then to Pleasant Valley, before heading on to River Road High School, Highland Park High School, de Zevala Middle School, and Avondale Elementary.
"He wants all four precincts to work together and enable all departments to do their jobs the best they can without hopefully raising taxes," he said.
Stumping for her husband
Charlotte Thomas is looking at a 12-hour day on the sidewalk of Pleasant Valley Elementary School. She is holding a sign for her husband, Brian, who is a candidate for Potter County sheriff.
She got there at 7:15 a.m., and with the exception of a lunch break, will be there until 7 p.m. The Pleasant Valley precinct in their neighborhood. They live near the Dumas Highway and St. Francis Road.
"This is my community," said Thomas, who has lived in Potter County all of her 48 years. "These are the people I know and love."
Thomas, a corporal in the Amarillo Police Department, has supervised Amarillo's Crimestoppers for the last several years. He is the Republican candidate. He is running to succeed Mike Shumate, who was convicted earlier this year on two felony charges.
"He's doing this for the people of the department," Thomas said of her husband, "so they can work together, so the guys on the street can do their job and protect the community and be a unified force. He's doing this because they know he'll stand by them and do what's right."
She got there at 7:15 a.m., and with the exception of a lunch break, will be there until 7 p.m. The Pleasant Valley precinct in their neighborhood. They live near the Dumas Highway and St. Francis Road.
"This is my community," said Thomas, who has lived in Potter County all of her 48 years. "These are the people I know and love."
Thomas, a corporal in the Amarillo Police Department, has supervised Amarillo's Crimestoppers for the last several years. He is the Republican candidate. He is running to succeed Mike Shumate, who was convicted earlier this year on two felony charges.
"He's doing this for the people of the department," Thomas said of her husband, "so they can work together, so the guys on the street can do their job and protect the community and be a unified force. He's doing this because they know he'll stand by them and do what's right."
Tech-nical survey
Eddie Urbina and Isaac Conway, two freshmen students from Texas Tech, were among 20 Red Raiders who left in two different groups at 4:30 a.m. from Lubbock to help run exit polls in Potter County.
Urbina and Conway, both from San Antonio, are part of a research lab at Tech called the Earl Survey, which is under the political science department. The group was hired by Potter County to survey voters not on who they voted for, but on the voting experience.
They had a table set up on the lawn of Pleasant Valley Elementary School with a form for voters to quickly fill out. The instructions are to ask every fifth voter to fill out a survey, and rotate between male and female. By 9:30 a.m., nine had filled out the survey, with two declining.
"Most people want to do it," said Conway. "We're not asking who they're voting for and it doesn't take a lot of time. The county is wanting to know how the new technology worked, how the parking was, what the lines were like -- just to see if the experience was easier and quicker."
Urbina and Conway, like all the Tech students, will be working various precincts in Potter County until the polls close at 7 p.m. Conway is missing two classes, while Urbina is missing only a math class today.
But waiting and spending time outside is nothing new to Urbina. As a pledge for fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, he camped out last Monday for five days to guarantee good seats for his fraternity brothers for the Tech-Texas football game.
"It was fun," Urbina said. "With our big win, it was worth it at the end."
Urbina even charged the field at the end.
"I was part of the dumb first wave," he said.
Urbina and Conway, both from San Antonio, are part of a research lab at Tech called the Earl Survey, which is under the political science department. The group was hired by Potter County to survey voters not on who they voted for, but on the voting experience.
They had a table set up on the lawn of Pleasant Valley Elementary School with a form for voters to quickly fill out. The instructions are to ask every fifth voter to fill out a survey, and rotate between male and female. By 9:30 a.m., nine had filled out the survey, with two declining.
"Most people want to do it," said Conway. "We're not asking who they're voting for and it doesn't take a lot of time. The county is wanting to know how the new technology worked, how the parking was, what the lines were like -- just to see if the experience was easier and quicker."
Urbina and Conway, like all the Tech students, will be working various precincts in Potter County until the polls close at 7 p.m. Conway is missing two classes, while Urbina is missing only a math class today.
But waiting and spending time outside is nothing new to Urbina. As a pledge for fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, he camped out last Monday for five days to guarantee good seats for his fraternity brothers for the Tech-Texas football game.
"It was fun," Urbina said. "With our big win, it was worth it at the end."
Urbina even charged the field at the end.
"I was part of the dumb first wave," he said.
That didn't take long
It's sort of a delicate dance that has to be done when talking with anyone at a voting precinct. There are these pesky obstacles called federal and state laws that prohibit the media from doing its job within 100 feet of the voting booths.
That became apparent at 7:28 when I tried to talk with a Spanish translator who was at Palo Duro for those who might need help.
"News media, you can talk to her, but you have to do it 100 feet away," said the precinct chairman.
Why do I think this won't be the last time I hear this today.
That became apparent at 7:28 when I tried to talk with a Spanish translator who was at Palo Duro for those who might need help.
"News media, you can talk to her, but you have to do it 100 feet away," said the precinct chairman.
Why do I think this won't be the last time I hear this today.
A vote and a kiss
Calvin and Renee Vaughan walked out together at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday after voting at Palo Duro High School. They shared a quick kiss on the sidewalk before leaving in separate vehicles for work.
"I planned to early vote, but didn't get around to it in time," he said. "I didn't know if I'd get another chance today and this is a very important election."
Vaughan, who works for Tow Brothers, said he does his best to vote in every election.
"I got no right to complain if I don't vote," he said. "The Constitution still gives us that right, I guess, but morally, it's not right unless you make your voice heard."
"I planned to early vote, but didn't get around to it in time," he said. "I didn't know if I'd get another chance today and this is a very important election."
Vaughan, who works for Tow Brothers, said he does his best to vote in every election.
"I got no right to complain if I don't vote," he said. "The Constitution still gives us that right, I guess, but morally, it's not right unless you make your voice heard."
Election trivia question
Do you know why elections are on a Tuesday in November? Sylvania Jeffery asked that question, and volunteered the answer when it became obvious the answer wasn't coming from me.
"America used to be a rural country," he said. "When the harvest was in, people would go to church on Sunday. They would travel by whatever means on Monday so they could get to where they needed to be on Tuesday to vote."
Sounds good to me. So now you can impress your friends with some election knowledge.
"America used to be a rural country," he said. "When the harvest was in, people would go to church on Sunday. They would travel by whatever means on Monday so they could get to where they needed to be on Tuesday to vote."
Sounds good to me. So now you can impress your friends with some election knowledge.
First one here -- by far
Seventeen were in line at North Heights Alternative School waiting for the polls to open, but no one was there earlier than Sylvania Jeffery. When he got to North Heights, there was no line. Jeffery was there at 6 a.m., sitting in a chair in the hallway and killing time chatting to a custodian.
"I'm always the first in line to vote," said Jeffery, a 30-year employee at Xcel Energy. "It's kind of tradition. I never vote early. I always vote on Election Day."
So this is not the first time to be first?
"Oh, no," he said. "Oh, no, no, no."
Jeffery, who has voted in every presidential election since 1972, said the right to vote is almost sacred.
"I want to be down here to voice my opinion," he said. "I haven't missed any kind of vote since I was 18. I don't care if a dog is running. People have died for my right to vote, and I'm always going to honor that."
"I'm always the first in line to vote," said Jeffery, a 30-year employee at Xcel Energy. "It's kind of tradition. I never vote early. I always vote on Election Day."
So this is not the first time to be first?
"Oh, no," he said. "Oh, no, no, no."
Jeffery, who has voted in every presidential election since 1972, said the right to vote is almost sacred.
"I want to be down here to voice my opinion," he said. "I haven't missed any kind of vote since I was 18. I don't care if a dog is running. People have died for my right to vote, and I'm always going to honor that."
Monday, November 3, 2008
Poll Patrol
Business editor Jim McBride came up with this little catchy phrase for what I'll be doing Tuesday. That's Jim's moment of brilliance for the week. Not bad, actually.
What I'll be doing is try to sample some of the flavor of the local polling places around the city. What are the lines like? What are attitudes like? Who hurried to vote on their lunch hour?
It should be an interesting day. And an historic one. Join me throughout the day.
What I'll be doing is try to sample some of the flavor of the local polling places around the city. What are the lines like? What are attitudes like? Who hurried to vote on their lunch hour?
It should be an interesting day. And an historic one. Join me throughout the day.
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