Voting

Since there were so many people there this morning - at least 100 outside (counting the people in this picture at 38 or so and extrapolating around the corner of the building at the back of the line to be a bit less, and then at the front to be around 20) and probably 30 inside in line - there was no way I could have voted in ten minutes. Since I had to teach at 8, I had to leave and come back. This afternoon at 4:00 in a light rain there was no line outside, but there were six people inside when I came and they were coming in more steadily as I left. There was one electioneer (Obama & No on 2) - we're just not having any excitement in my district. Voting was quick and simple - you just have to trust that the machine registers your vote. It did last time - everyone I voted for won - so I have my fingers crossed. FiveThirtyEight.com says of Maryland

"CHESAPEAKE BLUE, Maryland and its ten electoral votes are among Barack Obama's safest. This is one of the most liberal states in the nation... Only four states went for John Kerry by bigger margins, and unfortunately for John McCain it'll be just as tough for him in this blue mid-Atlantic enclave."

I hope so. And I'm heartened, really heartened, by the huge turnout (I'm not kidding; waiting in that line this morning at 7:15 were more people than voted here all day two years ago) - I want a mandate.