Voting Migration

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

United States election day is November 3rd. We are registered to vote in Florida but since we are often still enjoying the mountains of North Carolina in November, we frequently vote by absentee ballot.

Voting absentee has worked well for us. The hardest part is folding the return envelope correctly. There is even a procedure using a QR code on the envelope to track the process of our vote. We received our absentee ballot at our home in North Carolina, but decided we wouldn’t be using it. We wanted to vote in person.

Tuesday we loaded our car and began a leisurely two day drive back to Florida. We travel back roads to avoid interstates until we cross into Florida, We were thankful the traffic was light on the back roads and even on the interstate in Jacksonville, Florida which can be a nightmare.

To our surprise, the further south we drove, the heavier the traffic was heading north. I knew that large numbers of people from the north who owned winter homes in Florida had fled the cities to ride out the virus there. Were they migrating north to vote as we were heading south? A severe auto accident south of Jacksonville halted the north bound traffic for miles. A static snapshot of the traffic.

I was curious about the large number of semi-trucks heading north. Were they empty and returning home to resupply? Or were they trucking supplies north? One thing that surprised me while we were in North Carolina was the amount of empty store shelves. When we left Florida in late July, the stores were almost back to pre-covid levels except for paper goods.

My husband and I prefer to vote on election day during Presidential elections. We enjoy the camaraderie of voting with our neighbors.

This year due to my husband’s health issues we plan to vote early. If the line is too long, we can try another day or vote on election day if necessary.

I wonder if I can talk my husband into lunch while we are out to vote?

UPDATE: We voted. The line didn’t stretch outside so we didn’t mind the 40 minute wait. I used some of the time praying for those voting and some checking out the masks. There seemed to be a lot of couples voting and the non couples seemed to be pretty evenly split between men and women. The most popular mask was the surgical style. Of the cloth masks, black seemed to be the favored color. No idea why. My husband chooses black masks, maybe I should ask him.

I was sad to note there was very little conversation going on among people in line.

It seems masks have replaced camaraderie.

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I did see an old friend volunteering in the office. I waved and she looked puzzled so I whipped my mask down and gave her a big grin.

My husband requires a walker to get around but we haven’t been given a parking placard for handicap spaces so we had to park across the street and maneuver up the stairs.

I am sorry to report that I didn’t get lunch out after voting. It was 89 degrees outside and after the cool Fall temperatures in the mountains, 89 degrees zapped any idea of leaving the air conditioned car except to dash into the air conditioned house.

Have you voted? What was your experience like?

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

My 2020 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

Tags: 2020 Election, Election Day, Vote!