Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Voting in the Deep South


I voted today at the smallest polling place I have ever seen. I get a kick out of it every election that rolls around. I remember going to vote with my parents (in S. Florida) when I was a child and the lines for machines with curtains. Nothing like that where I live now. This precinct is NOT a waste of taxpayer’s money. No frills (no bathrooms or running water for example). Country living has been a real adjustment for me, but since we have been here 7 years, I have learned to appreciate the good things. No lines for voting is one of them.

Our candidates speak of Florida as if it is one place. A quick geography lesson that I know they had to learn is that in Florida, the south is the north and the north is south. Got that? The line of demarcation is Orlando. So I grew up on the West Coast of South Florida, where more people are from Ohio and Michigan than from Florida, so it was more northern. The East coast of Florida is populated more heavily with people from the North Eastern U.S. When I moved to North Florida, I moved to the deep South. I’m sure this makes for very interesting campaign strategies. Maybe now that I’ve voted, the governor will stop calling me. I seriously had EIGHT phone messages last night with election messages. Round One is almost over. Whew!

4 comments:

Uncommon Blonde said...

Love the photo, it's hilarious!

Anonymous said...

I'm in DC this week, and I can't tell you how many (as usual) people ask me where I'm from when they hear my accent. I say Florida, and they say "no, really, aren't you from alabama or georgia?"

It takes serious restraint on my part to NICELY say "No, I'm actually FROM Florida, not just live there. Big Difference."

. . . don't get me started!!!!

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Wow, that little building looks like southern IN or Tenn or Ken-tuck! I can't imagine being in FL today. It is bone-chilling cold in east central IN. This is serious, skin-killing cold. When I was a teenager, I went with a friend to her cousin's in Miami, and I was shocked out of my little naive Hoosier shoes about being a minority there. It opened my eyes to know how different states are. And I know so many Hoosiers who are "snowbirds," those who go to FL during the winter months only. Last summer, we vacationed on Anna Maria Island near Tampa, and that was perfect-o land. Anyway, thank you so much for you kind comments about my kids and the conference and the scholarship. Everything will work out for the best, whether I go or don't go. Thanks for coming by my blog regularly. I really appreciate it.

Kelley said...

Hi Beverly,
Thanks for your encouragement on my blog. I am new to blogging as well but I do find it is lots of fun (and more than a little addicting!). My family is planning a summer vacation in Florida and it is that thought that is getting me through the bitter-cold Kansas winter!

Have a blessed day~~~Kelley