OCTOBER 24, 2024 – Today I exercised the franchise. For the past few election cycles I’ve cast my vote early. It’s become such an ingrained personal custom that waiting until Election Day itself seems almost negligent; similar to serving an Answer to a Complaint on the very last day before you’d be in default territory in a lawsuit commenced against your client or waiting till the very last minute before departing the airport coffee lounge and hauling yourself to the gate just as the last—now next-to-last—passenger to board is heading down the ramp. Yet, that’s how we always used to vote.
Today I was also going for the “I Voted” sticker. I like to wear it all the way through Election Day to remind all who see it to get out and vote.
This time around was my first at a polling place other than our usual one—the Roseville branch of the Ramsey County Library. Last week on the first day of early voting Beth had attempted to vote there but encountered a line that an official said was about an hour long. People were then informed of two alternative stations and drove straight to the nearest one, about three-and-a-half miles away. There Beth met no resistance, no queue. It was at the new shiny Frogtown Community Center in the middle of a highly diverse neighborhood within easy walking distance of the state capitol.
Afterward she expressed a degree of concern that people from the surrounding neighborhood apparently weren’t “lining up to vote” as had the folks living near our usual polling place. Beth would’ve had no such concern before 2020, when early voting was unheard of except by a tiny minority (it seemed) of people who voted via absentee ballot.
Today I had other business at the library. Once I’d finished, I decided that since early voting was possible right around the corner, I should vote now too—except, the queue was even longer than it had been when Beth voted. Again, a polling official told folks way ahead of me that it would be an hour before they reached a voting booth but that two alternative sites would likely have shorter wait times. I immediately peeled away and drove to the closest—Frogtown Community Center.
The place was bustling, not only with voters but neighborhood residents, kids and older people alike, interacting with a cheerful staff and engaged in a range of activities. Right inside the entrance a special receptionist had staked out a conspicuous spot where she could intercept voters and direct them to the elevators or the staircase to the voting area on the second floor. I opted for the stairs, and as I approached the top I saw a long line of voters waiting their turns. Beth would like my report.
With all the disturbances and unfounded Republican claims of election fraud and irregularities—all the bad solutions looking for non-existent problems—I was more attentive than usual about every observable detail of the process. Three features stood out: first was the number of volunteers staffing the place and how well trained and organized they were (each one I encountered I thanked for volunteering); second was how “voter friendly” the entire system was—registration and voting, yet with reliable safeguards and integrity; third was the diversity of us voters. Represented there in that queue was a broad cross-section of citizenry—as many men as women; as many young people (several celebrating with a loud cheer after casting their very first ballot) as ancient people (struggling with their walkers); people of all colors; white people of all economic stations (judging by their attire and as I departed, by the vehicles I saw them drive).
After completing my ballot and feeding it into the machine, I was awarded my coveted “I Voted” sticker. As I exited the building, I felt a rush of optimism—undampened by the big pick-up that I saw racing by down Como Avenue and sporting a gigantic red TRUMP flag whipping in the wind behind the cab. Back when Biden announced he was resigning from the Democratic ticket, I concluded that victory for the Democrats would hinge on turnout across the party’s broad coalition; one that now includes Liz Cheney on the conservative end of the spectrum and AOC at the progressive end. Based on what I’ve read and what I saw today at the Roseville Public Library and the Frogtown Community Center, I predict that the turnout for early voting will smash all records, with turnout on Election Day itself likely to reach historically high levels. If my turnout prediction is correct, the Harry/Walz ticket will ride a huge blue turnout wave to victory.
Republican operatives and bean counters already know this, however, which is why they’re already gearing up to contest the result. After all, the party line—devised by the cult leader—is that the only way he can lose is by operation of fraud. I’m as convinced that Harris/Walz will win (fair and square) as I am fearful that this thing won’t be over on Election Night or even the next day or week or month, thanks to spurious litigation by Republicans.
It used to be that in America, according to Ayn Rand, you should be able to do as you damn please. Who among “Iron Hand’s” disciples could’ve dreamed that the day would come in America, when for a price, you could do and say as you damn please, even if it means surrendering to the antithesis of libertarianism: authoritarianism? It’s inevitable, I suppose, because America is about the money, not freedom—unless you have the money.
In other words, Harris/Walz fans, don’t celebrate yet. This won’t be over on November 5 or anytime soon thereafter; not until multiple bogus cases are appealed and heard by the Supreme Court, three of the conservative majority being appointees of the appellant.
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© 2024 by Eric Nilsson
