Always out here, looking for . . .

I know most of you are holding your breath today – just like me. But after spending two very long and very intense days processing mail-in ballots here in Michigan, I thought I’d check in and share some hope with you.

Not about “results” or anything. Because I don’t have anything to share there. Just . . . hope . . . in our voting system and in people, generally, and in the seriousness . . .  of voting.

Yep. On Friday and Saturday, I found hope in the process.

First, let’s talk about that voting system, as a whole. Back in very early 2020 (just before the pandemic) when I first went through the training program to become an election inspector, I remember being in awe at how the system actually works. At how tight the security is around voting. At how well all the “pieces” fit together. (It is truly an impressive thing . . . our voting system. I wish everyone could see how it actually works!) Months later, in November, after the calls for “fraud” and “vote-stealing” started rolling in, I was appalled. Because, like I said, if you’ve seen how this system works, you’d know this . . . really isn’t plausible.

Lately, in the run-up to this year’s election, I have read about that whole vote-stealing/fraud strategy being employed . . . again. With added vigor. I have hope, though. I believe in the voting system. And I know that the already-tight system I first learned about in 2020 has been tightened even more for 2024. I believe it will hold . . . again. And that gives me hope.

Next, let’s talk about people. In election-inspector-world, there are always balanced teams (in terms of party affiliation). Every single “duty” carried out by election inspectors is done by a twosome . . . one democrat is matched with one republican. All day. For every single task. So for two full days, I worked with various republicans. We don’t talk about our personal politics. But I can say that every single person I met with/worked with/interacted with believes in the sanctity of voting, and preserving that right for all. And that gives me hope.

Last, I had the opportunity to work (with a republican election inspector, of course) on ballots submitted by folks serving in the US military who are stationed overseas. These ballots require a different level of attention and handling (and I won’t go into the specifics of that because I’m not allowed). The military personnel submitting these ballots must go through several layers of protocol and, well . . . I’ll just call it hassle . . . just to submit their ballots. For military folks serving outside the US, it is a Big Deal to vote. I had no idea. But I do now. It was heartening and somewhat emotional for me to realize just how serious it is . . . to be able to cast your vote. Even when it’s hard to do. Even when it’s a hassle. I knew this before . . . but this experience brought it home to me in a whole new way. And that gives me hope.

So. I’m sure none of this allays your anxiety and fears about tomorrow. But maybe it will give you faith in our voting system — and the people who are working in that system. And maybe it will remind you . . . that voting is a precious right. For all of us. And we should go out of our way to do it.

To close, I want to share two articles that may be of interest to you as we go into the final bits of this election. Both of them are from SharonSaysSo’s newsletter The Preamble. (I’m hoping you are able to open and read them. If you can’t, and would like to, please let me know and I’ll figure out how to make that happen.)

This link is to Sharon’s take on What Will Happen on Election Night and the Days After. This article details what happens as the polls close and results start coming in, as well as what happens in the swing states specifically, as far as their procedures for counting ballots. (All with Sharon’s straighforward, no-nonsense delivery, of course.) I found this information helpful.

And this link is to Sharon’s last-minute All Your Voting Questions Answered. I know many of you have already voted, but just in case you haven’t – or if you have friends/family who will be voting in person tomorrow, this is a good resource for what is/is not allowed at the polls.

Okay.
Here we go.
Breathe.
And keep looking for hope.