From Ronald Chapman:
As a resident of Harford County, by way of military transition with my family, I have always taken pride in the privilege to vote. This year, however, I took advantage of the Harford County’s Early Voting as opposed to my November dash to the precincts that I’ve done in past years. So after wrapping up a long evening down at Fort Meade I made the trip up I-95 back to Harford County Bel Air Public Library.
As expected I was proud to see the fanfare of supporters, representing all candidates, braving the chilly evening air with signs galore. I am proud of this because I can staunchly remember, not long ago, witnessing firsthand in Iraq local citizens walking long distances in order to dip their fingers in a heavily stained blue ink and casting their vote. This, by the way, was in the face of terrorist dissuasion in the form of random shooting, bombings, and so forth. To think we have lovely greeters and front row parking to cast a vote, tis why I love this country.
I pulled up to the allocated parking spaces at the Bel Air Public Library that Friday evening (Oct 22nd), around 7pm. Exiting my truck, I made my way to the signs directing me to the entrance. I provided my photo id and voter registration card, verified my credentials, and was ushered to a judge who then pointed me to the booth. The entire process was efficient and flowed like clockwork. In what seemed like perfect irony, I spent more time in my ballot box than I did pulling up and checking in. Great job to the organizers of early voting and volunteers alike! I hope early voting continues, and possibly expands, in Harford County and hope to see more take advantage of it next election time.
Ronald A. Chapman
Edgewood MD
Early voting is an expensive joke. Give me one compelling reason for it. What’s wrong with an absentee ballot? Democrat mischief is on the way, folks. You know, the same people who want jailbirds and other assorted bums to be given the opportunity to vote, but not our brave military personnel. Don’t you just love it?
I agree, expensive is the word. I used the ‘absentee ballot’.
When I previously mentioned military personnel, I was referring, of course, to those deployed overseas.