Get Out the Vote / Tis the Day

The primary election is today.   I took an earlier lunch because of a BIG meeting (yeah, my bosses boss, VERY professional, doesn't wear hose so hey!), and man was it packed outside at lunchtime.   Have to admit, Panera was VERY organized, and nice, and had it all correct, just the whole town was packed.  I'll have to go vote TONIGHT!  (Then rehearsal.   BJ's in "town" but way busy until too late, so I won't see him tonight.)

 

Maybe my cell phone calls will cease now.   The former owner of my cell phone # is getting a TON of calls.   I know her name, that she's a hispanic/latina woman who lives/lived in PG County.   When it's a live person calling on a political note, I let him or her know, and they're nice and say they'll take my name off.  Now I'm more informed, and know which candidates are not even in my district, such as the Albert Wynn and Donna Edwards race.   I get about 4-5 calls a DAY on my cell phone from politicians and their supporters, but that race wins hands down.   His and his friends all have that really southern-sounding Maryland accent, too, lol, I couldn't even tell he was inviting me to a crab fest a couple months ago.   Her mother called me with a recording today, but I called back that #, I prefer it when a # shows up, and let the place know via pressing in my #.   Hmmm, I think I have before, too.   For some reason, political calls are exempt from the no-call lists.   I don't see why.   They are not truly public service announcements, not IMHO.  And I even care about politics, some.  I don't get as many at home, perhaps because I have an unlisted #, but usually I get NO political calls.

 

M asks me about candidates.  "Mom, are you voting for him?"  "Huh?  Fenty?  He's running for mayor of D.C. honey, no, I can't vote for or against him."  "Oh, Mom, there's an ad on -- do you like him / her???   Is he also running for mayor of D.C., too?"  "I don't know, honey.  Oh, that's Somebody Orange, yeah, I read about a bus driver who supported him."  lol

 

We talk about factors influencing voters, too.   I finally saw a sign for Donna Edwards, and M and I had seen a very nice woman handing out Edwards flyers previously, so we talked about how it was rather cool that race cannot be an issue in their race, as both she and Albert Wynn are black.

We talk about how 84-year old Donald Schaeffer speaks of his opponent (calling her Mother Hubbard and getting fat).   He's good -- and been around for decades -- he's gotten my vote in the past, admittedly, but gosh, stop the googling and putdowns of women and deal with the issue, or retire, eh?   How Steve Silverman's ad caught my eye -- it talked about his opponent, Isiah "Ike" Leggett, and how Leggett's ideas are bad ones, mentioning what Leggett stands for.  Hmmm, take out the negative spin, are these bad things?  And yet, no mention of what Silverman stands for, not in that ad.

No worries about who will win the Democratic primary for Governor, now.   Doug Duncan dropped out a while back, so it's Martin O'Malley, to face "Bobby" blech Erlich in November.  So many of the races will be determined TODAY, as Maryland is mostly a democratic state (and with the D.C. primary), but, not the Governor's race.

Senator Sarbanes is retiring, Milulski is NOT! yeah, Chris Van Hollen is good to go still, County Executive, Attorney General, a lot of big races.   I like a Saqid Ali from all I can tell, but I don't remember what he's running for, lol.   Seems decent, is the only one I saw who even mentioned environmental issues (even if I don't know that I prefer his intended incentive for increased recycling), promotes harmony and diversity, and some other things.   I suspect School Board is a lot of it:)   My aunt Beth and I wrote back and forth today, she's my dad's sister who I'm close with.   Beth noted that Montgomery County has the politicians in for the longest-times of the entire nation.   Hmmm.  I knew MD might, but my county?  I'm not truly surprised, but still.

 

I know enough to vote for many positions.   When I don't know, I won't just pick randomly.

 

M hoped to come with me today.  "What time are we voting, Mom?"  She is at her dads tonight, though, his g/f's birthday even, and M did not wish to get up too early this a.m., and not enough time for her lunchtime really combined with when I had to be back.   She's w/ him for the general election this year, too, but maybe that day, we can squeeze in a lunchtime voting:)

 

(M also looked through b-day cards for Sh, but ended up not picking out one for me to buy.  M's choice.)

 

So, why'd I get two phone calls today, on my cell?  UGH.   Oh, and one from my father.   M fixed his phone last weekend, nicely before we went by there:)  Yep.   She turned it on.   ROFL.   Ya'd think it wouldn't be so complicated.  Maybe it's a good thing voting screens aren't TOO electronic, not until this youngest of generations grows up!