Voting musings

Election Day thoughts:

• Voting was a satisfying experience today.  I only had to wait 20 minutes to cast my ballot, which isn't bad for a presidential election.  The wait would have been even shorter if I'd chosen a paper ballot instead of the touch-screen option.
• As I was voting, I heard someone in line exclaim, "First-time voter!"  The room erupted in cheers and applause as a sheepish teenager shrugged.  "It's like we're celebrating someone's birthday at Happy Joe's (Pizza & Ice Cream Restaurant)," I murmured.
• There was something moving about seeing two adults who had already voted doubling back to claim their "I voted today" stickers.  I have to admire someone who cares enough about the democratic process to go back and get proof of their participation.

Whew!  After an election cycle that seems to have lasted for at least a decade, the excessive "In case you missed the message the first 47 times, here's what Candidate X stands for..." commercials, mail, and robocalls are finally over--for now.