Electioneering - Up Close and Personal

Got up in the dark at 5 am today to post signs and station myself at the polling place for my precinct. I had volunteered to take the 6-9 am shift there to encourage people to vote in favor of calling a new constitutional convention in Illinois. (See my previous post.) Luckily, it is warm (70s) and sunny today - and I only had to run back down the block once for a bathroom break!

Despite the predictions of long lines to vote on Election Day, there was only a slow but steady trickle of voters in the morning. Most voters only nodded when I made my pitch, but a few told me they were definitely going to vote Yes. A few said, "No way," but that's no surprise since my precinct has a lot of teachers, police and fire fighters - all of whom were told by their unions to vote against it. They're afraid that a new Con-Con would be used to cut their pensions - not true! Only one guy wanted to talk about it - AFTER he voted. When he asked me why I was in favor of a new Con-Con, I began my talking points (I had done my reading!) and he wanted to debate them, but some of his neighbors came out and he got distracted. End of debate. At any rate, most people were nice even if they figured out ways to avoid walking by me so I couldn't hand them a voting card. I still called after them anyway.

The big surprise? There were NO other poll watchers or electioneers standing around with me within our legal space limits. Where were the Republicans and the Democrats?? They're always there at every other election! They must have decided Illinois was a done deal. I thought I would have to fight for my fair share of the lawn space for signs, and outshout the other guys when voters came by, but this was a cakewalk. Our cause is a longshot, but the great weather today and lack of "distractions" at the polling place have given us our best chance.