This afternoon I went two blocks from where I’m sitting to my regular polling, gave my name and address, requested a Democratic ballot, and voted in the primary elections. I wouldn’t be surprised if the turnout statewide was 10%. In my precinct I’m sure it will be over 50%, citywide who knows? 30%? Lower?
In recent weeks I’ve been absolutely deluged with robocalls, which I generally ignore, at the rate of five or six an hour from nine in the morning until nine at night.
I will be brutally honest: I am not encouraged by the candidates among which I had to choose. In the relatively small number of contested offices I had a choice among well-intentioned incompetents, politically-connected insiders, crooks, untested children of former officeholders and, worse, children of former officeholders who’ve been tested and found wanting.
For the first time in nearly a quarter century I am not working as an election judge. I’m not certain why. Tomorrow I’ll either toddle down to the ward office or call the Board of Election Commissioners and try to get myself back on the list. I haven’t visited the polling place where I’ve worked for the last ten years or so but I imagine that they’re oscillating between boredom due to the low turnout and panic because nobody knows what to do.
Public schools were closed here today for some weird reason, so I took my 8 and 5 year olds down to the Governor’s mansion. We were greeted by a guide who fumbled over the welcome: “This is Governor Quinn’s home, or at least it will be for the day, or I mean it will still be his home regardless of what happens today.” Nice digs, but a little antiseptic. I’m not sure why anybody would want the job.