If I lived in a swing state I would be homicidal right now

[rachelmanija]

Of course, if I lived in a swing state I would probably be homicidal all the time.

Last election I had to vote on a provisional ballot because I'd moved and though I'd re-registered, my name wasn't listed at my new polling place. So I re-registered again. But I never got my sample ballot, and my name STILL wasn't listed. So I drove across town to vote at the polling place where I'd last voted non-provisionally, before I'd moved. I wasn't listed there either.

I voted with a provisional ballot, but I have no idea if that will ever be counted because a) I probably didn't vote at the correct polling place, b) maybe I'm not even registered at all.

I took a registration form and will now register myself a third time. I wish there was some way you could just access a database online to see whether or not you're registered, and where. If you used your social security number as your password, it should be secure to do that without the possibility of erasing someone else's registration.

ETA: This may not entirely be the government's fault. I have recently been getting a lot of mail misdelivered. Despite talking to the mailman, in the last two weeks I've gotten mail from my day job misdelivered, with notes from the person it was misdelivered to: "This has been misdelivered TWICE!" and "This has been misdelivered to me THREE TIMES!" Also, a very important package of irreplaceable books has never arrived.

I waited for the mailman to arrive today and charged out with my evidence. He made excuses and tried to blame other people and said they were isolated incidents. I screamed at him. He started to flee back to his truck, and then I looked at my mail that he'd just delivered: a letter addressed to a different person at a different address!

I charged after him, waving it: "And here's ANOTHER letter that's not to this address! I'm complaining to your supervisor! You're totally incompetent!"

Mailman, snatching letter: "Sometimes people make mistakes... I work hard..."

Me (flashing back to Bush's first debate): "THAT'S NO EXCUSE! READING THE ADDRESSES IS YOUR JOB!"

Mailman: Runs next door, no doubt with a handful of misdelivered mail.

I called the post office to complain. They said the book package wasn't late until it was a month late, and that the only person I could complain to about it or the mailman was only in the office between 8:30 am and 11:00 am.

It's enough to turn you Libertarian.

Comments

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

My county, at least, does have an online registration database. I don't know if it's part of a national site, or just a rare thing, but try googling your county's name along with "board of elections".

[branna.livejournal.com]

*hug* Oh, man. You're the second person I've heard of caught in this sort of situation. I am so sorry.

There is a hotline---I tried calling it a few times because I moved and registered fairly late---but I never could get through. However, they did send me a notification card, and then despite telling me I wouldn't get a sample ballot, they sent me two.

Did you re-register at the DMV, or did you use the online request form?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

The first time I re-registered it was at a registration table, and the second time was an online form which I printed and mailed.

But... Actually, I think I'll ETA this part.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

My friend Clint's parents live in East Texas where they have all sorts of problems with their mail delivery. Every time they complain to the postman, his defense consists of "Uh ... I'm a Vietnam vet." Clint's mom fails tos ee what that has to do with the ability to perform the basics of his job. :)