I make it a habit to take my boys along to watch me vote.  No, I don’t let them pick the candidates… maybe I should.  But that’s a story for another day.  Today, I thought it would be fun for them to tag along and witness my first foray into electronic, rather than mechanical, voting.

I showed up, holding my boys’ hands, to my polling place at 11:50 AM. Ready to cast my primary votes!  I confidently strode into the polling place, eager to fill in the ovals on my ballot and turn ’em into electrons to be counted.

I was greeted with a comment that the polls weren’t open.  Not until noon. Annoyance number one.  Fortunately I could stick around for the extra 12 minutes, (the polling place opened two minutes late).  I didn’t realize that the polls opened later in this area.  Good thing I was able to stick around. I’ll be in class this evening, and wouldn’t make it back by the 9 PM poll closing time.

I found the table for my voting district, signed in, received my ballot (it’s placed inside a privacy folder), and I was escorted to one of the “booths.” Actually, it was just a table set up to allow you the privacy to fill in the little ovals on the ballot.  They provided the pen.  Had it been a #2 pencil, I would have felt like I was back in high school, trying to keep my classmates from cheating off my standardized test.

Not too difficult.

I was escorted to the ballot scanner gizmo.  I think that’s what I’ll call it:  a BSG.  There, a friendly poll worker peered over my shoulder to ensure I placed my ballot into the BSG properly.  Zzzzip.  In went the ballot.  The screen flashed with a “ballot accepted” message.

And I was done.

And annoyed.

I couldn’t understand it.  Yes, I had to wait a little longer.  Yes, I could have figured out the process on my own, and didn’t need the help.  But I was glad the help was there.  In some cases locally, it was needed. According to WNYT, even a couple politicians struggled with the system. Was I concerned that the electronic voting method could be gamed?  Not any more than the mechanical system.  So, why was I annoyed?

Then it dawned on me.  The whole process seemed to be a bit more in the open.  Less privacy.  No curtains closing in a booth.  And the poll worker helping out at the scanner could easily read my ballot.

Not that I’m afraid of sharing my voting record.  I just prefer to do it on my own terms.

And the kids were bored silly.  The electrons aren’t nearly as exciting as the mechanical booth with it’s levers, knobs, and curtain.  The feel just ain’t the same.