Vote Early?

Today, mid-day, as I was leaving the church office for an appointment, a late model silver Buick pulled up outside the receptionist's door. At first I thought it might be our Wekiva Presbyterian Church member Yvonne, who drives a very similar car. But the driver had a beard, so no, it was definitely NOT Yvonne.

From the car emerged a gentleman who came into the office. I had to keep on going, so other than saying hello and holding the door open for him, I went on my way. I did not recognize his face and wondered to myself who he was and why he was stopping by the church. Later, I had a chance to check with our volunteer receptionist.

I asked, "Who was that man and why was he here?"

The answer came back, he was from the neighborhood and was at the church wanting to vote early.

Early voting is a popular option here in Seminole County. And our church does serve as a polling place on Election Day. However, we are not an early voting location.

Martha, our afternoon receptionist, correctly told the man that the Library in the heart of the Wekiva neighborhood (West Branch Library, 245 N. Hunt Club Boulevard, Longwood, Florida 32779) is one of only a very few locations where early voting is offered.

But not yet.

I checked.

Early Voting for the November 6, 2012 General Election will be available from October 27 through November 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The man who dropped by was early. 

Even for early voting.

Well, maybe he comes from Chicago, where the slogan, or so I am told, is: "Vote Early and Vote Often!"

(The cynical phrase "Vote early - and vote often" is variously attributed to three different Chicagoans: Al Capone, the famous gangster; Richard J. Daley, mayor from 1955 to 1976; and William Hale Thompson, mayor from 1915-1923 and 1931-1935. All three were notorious for their corruption and their manipulation of the democratic process. It is most likely that Thompson invented the phrase, and Capone and Daley later repeated it).