A GRATEFUL READER writes:

I just voted in the District of Columbia, where I have voted for the past fifteen years. I generally write in the candidates and have no aspirations that my candidates will be elected. In the course of those years, the choices have remained left and far-left, but the voting process has noticeably degenerated. When my children were small, I had to show my driver’s license and D.C. voting card in order to receive a ballot. Today, the woman at the table told me I need not show any sort of identification. She said, “All you have to do is know your address, sweetie.” Ah, this makes voting early and often easier. My children recall going into the voting booth and closing the curtain behind us and voting in secret. Today, privacy has disappeared. I took my paper ballot to an open kiosk where anyone may look over anyone’s shoulder and then to a man who took the ballot out of its sleeve and looked at it as I put it into the machine. At this point, I do not care who sees my ballot, but the secret ballot no longer exists and this leads down a dangerous path.

A friend who grew up in a Communist country was very excited to vote for the first time in his life. He voted for Obama. Alas, he does not acknowledge that he just voted for a system worse than the one he left behind.

I voted for Christopher Check (of Catholic Answers) for president, although I thought about voting for Porky Pig. His motto is apt for the sinking ship of civilization: “That’s All Folks!”

—– Comments ——

Eric writes:

Here in Washington (the other Washington), we vote by mail. This means we get our holy ballot in the mail, unless the mailman does not deliver it, or it is opened by a roommate, or thrown out as junk mail (which it resembles). Then we take our secret ballot, mark it, put it into an envelope, put that into another envelope, taking care to make sure it bears our name and address printed on the return address strip, and we sign the ballot and (optionally) fill in our email address and phone number on the outside of the envelope. We then commit it to the same postal service that brought it to us, who (presumably) takes it to be counted (?) by someone who holds our identity and our voting record in one hand, out of our sight. This person has no real assurance that the ballot inside the envelope was filled in by the person to whom it was addressed. I suppose that is some small comfort for those concerned about the confidentiality of the poll.

This system was brought to you by the Democrats, who caterwauled endlessly about how requiring people to walk to a polling place, stand in line, and show ID was asking too much of citizens of a democracy.

I am weary and jaded. I think less and less of the process with every election. This is only one reason why.

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