Just got back from "Honolulu Hale"-that's "City Hall" to you mainlanders-where I voted. What a hassle!
Filled out an early voter form, showed ID, and got computer checked. I was then offered "paper or computer?" Made the mistake of taking the computer. I was issued a 4 digit computer code that got me a seat at a hooded computer booth.
I was faced with a large screen that contained the first page of the ballot, dials and buttons beneath, and earphones. I looked around and saw everybody else with the earphones on, so I joined them. The screen offered me language choices. English, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Tagalog. As I dialed through them with the dial, the names were repeated in earphones. I then realized that the earphones were there for the blind. I took them off and proceeded.
I then dialed though the various people and issues I voted for, and pressed an enter button for each. When I got though and left after five minutes, the people who were in the booths when I entered were still in their chairs. This system must have paid off quite a few politicians to get sold.
As I left, I thought, "this is going to be a loooong election!" |
