Takin' the Blog for a Walk

defending your right to make a difference

Posted by Brien Lee on Sept. 16, 2008

helping, politics

I spent 16 hours in a library a week ago and didn't pick up a single book... For you.

I was a Fourth District poll worker from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. A long day, but worth it. Getting in practice for November 4th, where the hours are going to be even longer and could even be slightly busier.

Last Tuesday there was a close race between two able Democratic candidates for the 97th District State Assembly in the primary. Because less than ten votes separated them we still don't have a certain winner. Both Ruth Page Jones and Steve Schmuki have likeable qualities and they both worked very hard to get out the vote.

The 4th Aldermanic District I'm in has three wards, but only two are in the 97 Assembly District. Two out of the three wards received several absentee votes. Can you guess which wards?  All the absentee ballots we had on Tuesday were counted Tuesday by us. If the canvass seemed to be taking longer than it should, my guess would be the clerk was waiting to make sure the post office wasn't going to be delivering any more of the absentees.

I voted absentee in the last Presidential, then went over to the polling place anyway towards the end expecting to see a still long line. I saw almost no people in line around 8:00. I expect it to be different this November. To make my job easier, and your wait shorter, you could consider voting absentee. You don't need to prove you can't get to the polls, just call City Hall and ask for a ballot.

Same goes for registering. Last Tuesday just three people registered all day. I'll tell you right now come November there will be a steady stream of new registrants who waited until the last minute. It's important to note that people can register now at the Public Library or City Hall.

As mentioned earlier, my son just turned 18. I would've liked to see him register and vote last week. I called home a couple times to encourage it. He was afraid that if he'd vote he'd become a potential jury member. Little did he, or I, know that by being a licensed driver he already is a potential jury member. Maybe he didn't think he could make a difference. Maybe 8 votes of separation seems like a lot to him, but I doubt it.

Poll workers are needed for the November 4th election. You don't have to work all day. Contact Gina at 524-3547 or gkozlik@ci.waukesha.wi.us  Hope to see you there.