UPDATE: We inadvertently followed up with the two voters who were ticketed. Full update at bottom.
so i drove to drop off my ballot downtown. parked in a metered spot and decided i would just run in (vs. paying the meter). i mean i was only going to be parked there for two minutes, tops; what are the chances of a ticket? and if i got one i could plead voting… surely there’d be leniency for dropping off ballots.
in the time it took to park, get out of the car, and walk to the meter, my mind ran thru the myriad of scenarios that could result from not paying: running into the parking cop, arguing with traffic enforcement at the courthouse, maybe nothing happening at all. what’s a quarter to save a potential hassle? i arrived at the meter reading 28mins left. i was good anyway.
on my way out i passed a mother and a son walking in to drop off their ballots. didn’t think think much of it. got to my car–checked mirrors and traffic as safe driving dictates; noticed a parking enforcement vehicle book it behind me and make a quick left turn out of my vision. through the mirrors again i see the son standing, look over my shoulder and, sure enough: a ticket on their windshield. through the mirror again, the son flipping the bird to parking enforcement.
man, i hope they fight on principle. i’m glad i don’t have to. so many layers to this tale if you look at it symbolically.
you should not have to pay postage for a ballot. you should be able to park for free when voting. hell, the buses should be free that day to ensure citizens’ ability to get there. election day should be a national paid holiday. in an honest properly-democratic-society there’d be outrage at the thought of these ideas not being ‘things’… these are small symbolic details of how undemocratic our society truly is.
update: so today i ran into these two at a store on the westside because COS is a big small town. i asked the dude, cos he was a distinct-looking dude, did i see you downtown yesterday… and you got a ticket… we talked about how much bullshit it was. it turns out they are aunt/nephew and they did fight it. he actually saw the parking cop giving tickets and thought there’d be no way they’d get one that fast and for voting. but, sure enough, they got one. they immediately went to the courthouse and got it dismissed. he said they were not as quick to do dismiss it as you would think. they had to emphatically plead their case. crazy.
-oskar
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