Journal 27

🗳️ Election Day Special 🗳️

Hello everyone! Today I thought I would do a special on the election. It has been interesting for me to see how the rest of the world is paying so much attention to the United States election. In America, most people do not pay attention to other countries’ elections.

I thought it would be interesting for my international readers (and maybe even my American ones) to hear about how I voted today.

In my town in New Jersey, it has always been a very laid-back process. You just show up at the local location, say your name and address, and vote! It can be completed in under ten minutes if it's not a busy time. It amazes me that one does not need any identification to vote! But there are places in America where it's different and you need ID.

Since I became an American citizen, I have participated in every presidential election. My family developed a tradition of walking to the voting location because it gets so much car traffic that walking is easier. The location is simple. Ordinary people work as volunteers. Usually, it is staffed by lots of old people, but this year there were many young women instead.

Usually, there are electronic voting machines, but this year there were paper ballots. The volunteers take their work very seriously. There is definitely an air of democracy, civility, respectability, and honor in the whole process. It makes me proud to be an American.

Everyone is always very courteous and helpful. Today, three young women helped process my ballot. I received it, filled it out behind a privacy barrier, and watched it get processed by a machine. They also kept my paper copy. That's it! There was a choice for president, but also for state and local elections.

Afterwards, it was a rare occasion to watch live TV. News on TV can be really overstimulating and anxiety-inducing, and have commercials. We chose to watch CBS, which is directed at older people. The commentators were calmer, talked slower, and explained things well hahaha. I liked the slower pace, but it was still too fast.

Now is the worst: Waiting until early next morning to find out who the next president will be. (Or longer!)

Hope you enjoyed hearing about how my American election day went.

Asya Carrino