For the first time since I was living in Frankfurt, Germany in 1988 working for Uncle Sam, I voted absentee. It wasn’t an easy decision as I relish voting in every election as I have since turning 19, but the pandemic overrode the pleasure I take in standing in line and pushing the buttons, pulling the levers or punching the card on the infamous Butterfly Ballot. Yes, I voted in that most disputed of recent elections in 2000, in one of the most disputed counties in Florida.
South Carolina did not offer a COVID related excuse for voting absentee until very recently, so I had made up my mind I’d vote even if I had to wear a Hazmat suit to do it. But Stephen Colbert produced a series of videos on his Better Know A Ballot series, and much to my surprise, South Carolina had a change of heart, although they kept it pretty quiet as I hadn’t heard a word about it. I promptly ordered my absentee ballot and was pleased to have it arrive relatively quickly. I took some pleasure knowing how it would irk the Orange Menace that I would vote by mail, and filled out my ballot with joy. However, I have had issues with the mail of late and the stories of cuts at the USPS provided sufficient motivation for me to drive to the North Charleston Coliseum and deliver my ballot in person.
The poll workers were polite, efficient and transparent as they placed my ballot in the secured dropbox while I waited, and even gave me a sticker. I will now monitor my ballot on the county’s site to ensure it is received. I can only hope it will be counted. Now South Carolina is a pretty reliable Republican state, although it’s not Oklahoma, Idaho or West Virginia. In fact, my representative is Democrat Joe Cunningham, who I proudly helped elect in 2018 and am enthusiastically supporting again this year. The notorious Lady G is also up against his stiffest challenge for the Senate seat he holds so I am happy to add one more vote for his challenger, Jamie Harrison. And hell, you never know. Polling only has Trump up by 5 points, and there’s no telling what he might do between now and November 3rd that could alienate some more voters. Biden leads Trump by 7 points in PA and they still call that a “swing state.”
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