Thank you, California.  You told Meg and Carly they couldn’t buy an election, that out of state oil companies couldn’t scuttle anti-pollution laws, and that we’re not all potheads.  Even though I live in California’s Tea Bagger ground zero, there’s enough sane folks in Los Angeles and San Francisco to keep the state in the blue.  I do have a couple of complaints about things locally, however.

First, and least on my list… the sleeve designed to hide my ballot until it’s pulled into the machine was too short.  The top selections of each column were clearly visible.  That rather negates the whole “secret” ballot thing, doesn’t it?  I double checked, it wasn’t operator error.  The sleeve was simply too short.

Second…  Tulare County lists 73 polling sites available to those not using the mail.   34 were located in churches.   Out of 11 sites in Porterville,  8 were in churches.  One Facebook posting shows a Porterville precinct with a large cross in the room.  I mean, large…  floor to ceiling large.  And it’s not like it’s a permanent fixture that couldn’t be moved, it was a free standing decoration.  Visalia lists 25 voting sites, 16 in churches.  In the church where I voted, a picture of Jesus was hanging on the wall, appearing to peek over the back panel of the voting booth.    How can this be reconciled with the notion of the separation of church and state?  Every church used as a voting site is of the Christian faith.  Why no synagogues?    Why no Buddhist temples?   Why in churches of any kind?

Third…  Who decides where I vote?  Why was my voting site a mile from my home?  Especially when the church across the street was a voting site??  Literally.  Across the street from my home.  I can sit on my couch, open the front door, and see the church!  (actually, I suppose I should open the door first, then sit on the couch, but you know what I mean!)   But I didn’t vote there!   Not smart.

I’m going to try and get some answers out of Tulare County, after the voting and certifying is done.  I’m particularly interested in the church-state issue, and will be interested in their explanations.