Friends,

Three weeks ago I applied for an absentee ballot from the state of South Dakota. I’m voting in SD because of personal affection for some running in local races.

When I applied for the absentee ballot I had the woman in the County Clerk’s office walk through each step of the application with me.

Today, however, I was told that I needed to send a photo ID in order for them to process the ballot. I politely informed the woman in charge of absentee ballots that when I applied I was not told of this necessity. She told me that they did not receive my application until October 27th (weeks after I had mailed it), and that there was no way for the State to get me a ballot short of overnighting it.

I asked her to proceed with an overnight. I was then informed that the State would need money up front to overnight this. Disregarding the fact that paying for a ballot is shady at best, I offered to send a photocopy of my ID and pay to have the ballot overnighted. I was then told I need a FedEx number or someone in South Dakota would have to bring them cash.

I would like to mention that my tone during the conversation was even and calm. I offered to make every accommodation possible in order to get my ballot. No need to point fingers, but the two different women that I spoke with were both immediately defensive - lots of sighing and aggregation in their voice tones. When I said that I don’t think it’s fair or right that I should have to pay to vote, she then told me that if the State were to overnight a ballot to me, they would have to do the same for everyone and if I had problems with that I should call South Dakota’s Secretary of State Chris Nelson.

Here’s a breakdown of the conversation:

“Sir, by asking us to just send you a ballot is asking us to bend the law.”

“I’m not asking you to bend the law at all, I would just like to have my ballot in time to vote. Can I PayPal you the money or give you my credit card number?”

“We don’t accept pay pay, won’t take a check, and have no way to process a credit card.”

“So I have to have someone in the state come up there in time for you to process the paperwork and mail the ballot today?”

“Yes”

“Is there any other way to get you the money?”

“Do you have a FedEx account number?”

“No, I’m an individual and don’t think that my work should have to pay for it.”

“Then no, there is no other way for you to get your ballot.”

Now, I can easily afford to have my ballot sent to me, but that’s not the point. Paying for a ballot is wrong and is a clearly tactic voter disenfranchisment. How many people cannot afford this cost, either in money or time spent with bureaucracy?

I will not pay or go through layers of bureaucracy to vote.

I will, however, do a story on this. And encourage you to use the media tools at your disposal to talk about issues of disenfranchisement that happen in your state. Using email, Twitter, Facebook, et al I encourage you to report any and all incidents of voter disenfranchisement. Talk about it, discuss the issues and laws in your state. Spread the word that even in this day of hyper-connectivity, disenfranchisement happens.

Thanks.

- Dan Patterson

Obviously, there’s not much we can do about Dan’s plight today or tomorrow. I’m especially chagrined about this because I was one of the ones who asked Dan to cast his vote here in South Dakota, where something other than conservative thought is so incredibly needed for this election cycle.

At the very least, though, we can spread the word about this. This is exactly the type of poor electoral management that unfortunately exists in places throughout the entire country. If you’re aware of situations like this in your local area (or anywhere else, for that matter), please be sure to document them well!

And please be sure to spread the word about this one.

Thanks.

I am closing my business of the past 15 years, probably before Christmas. I took a full-time gig back in March and I’m loving it: not just that my boss pays me on time, but I honestly love the work. Of course, I’m always inclined to do more than I have to, and I take my responsibility seriously. Last week was the third 60+-hour week in a row, and I’ve only had maybe 3 or 4 weeks since March where my hours fell below 50. So, yeah, I’ve been busy. So that, with finishing up this year’s wedding shoots and the like, well, my time has been anything but my own.

As I noted a while back, the whole political conundrum scene really wore me out, too. This election cycle has found me doing a lot of talking with people about politics and religion, and I reached a point where blogging about what I talk about all the time was just a bit too much. So, that’s why I haven’t been posting so much. It’s been all that I could do to comment on some blog posts from time to time.

But here we are, the day before the election, and I would be remiss indeed not to at least try to remind people of some things. Not to mention the fact that it looks like South Dakota is potentially a swing state now, which impresses the shit out of me. Of course, our curmudgeonly republicans are still who they are, they’re simply aware that a McCain presidency would be bad for farmers, they’re tired of the Bush Economy already, and Sarah Palin casts light on the very hypocrisies they themselves have trouble stomaching in their heart of hearts.

This post also comes in part from a recent conversation with a fellow atheist, who, while active and interested in political things, doesn’t vote, because he doesn’t want to support what he feels is a failed system. So to him, and others whom I’ll generously label “undecided”, I say this:

1. Our system of government cannot be fixed from the outside. It can only be changed from within. The most fundamental step in changing our bureaucracy is changing its leadership. While not all government positions will be overturned just because we elect a new president, in this particular case, how government is expected to do business will change in fundamental ways. That is not a small step, and without it, we have no real way affect change. This is not something that works well from the “grassroots” up.
2. Atheists can be, and should be, very concerned about the elections. The argument that “They’re all Christians, so what does it have to do with me?” is banal. It has everything to do with you. On one side, you have a group of people, largely led by radical fundamentalists who would be quite happy to legislate your belief system into a form of treason. Many of them are feverishly intolerant. The only reason atheists are not their primary targets is because they interpret the hatred of Muslims as “patriotic”. On the other hand, you have another religious group that is tolerant, open to new ideas and change, and which represents the vast majority of religious scientists. They appreciate, and often even welcome, the exchange of ideas with atheists, agnostics, and persons of other religious persuasions. They are willing to fight for your religious disbelief as a matter of moral principle.
3. Take a look around. Even if we all felt “safe” in promoting atheism, agnosticism, and free thought, we’d still be a relative minority. And, it’s going to be a long, long time before candidates, en masse, feel that the religiously predisposed will feel “safe” in voting for self-described atheists or agnostics. We only have one such in Congress right now. If we want our candidates to feel comfortable in platforming on atheism, we have to make an environment for them to do so. And that environment starts by keeping radical fundamentalists out of government. Before we can establish a government of the non-deluded, we have to have a government of the somewhat-willing-to-accept-the-fact-that-they’re-deluded. First things first, in other words, and one thing at a time.

I could probably go on and list more, but quite frankly, I think that these three reasons stand as argument enough that being an atheist and sitting on your ass tomorrow, watching the world go by, is not an option. If you’re a registered voter, you need to vote. Period.

For at least part of tomorrow, I will be driving persons to the polls who are unable to get themselves there. Get out and vote, and if you can help someone else do the same, please do so.

This is actually one of the best viral get-out-the-vote campaigns I’ve seen thus far. If you have a friend, co-worker, or acquaintance who has been mulling over the “why should i vote issue”, methinks this might be a great way to light a fire under his or her butt.

Yes, I sent this to a few of you whom I know via email. Please post it in your own blogs and help spread the word: Not Voting Is Not An Option!

{original: AP Photo/Roswell Daily Record/Mark Wilson}

the economy sucks, no matter how much the stock markets rebound today.

what i bitch and complain about, i sound like everyone else who bitches and complains.

i’ve kinda lost the joy for being a smartass about things that are so fundamentally important.

in the meantime, i’m trying to get out of the doldrums and light a fire under myself.

but all this shit sucks.

my blog has become like Jenna’s book: very little content, very little meaning, and even less personal impetus.

gah. i’ll figure something out.