Portsmouth NH Homes Condos Real Estate

The NH polls have closed and it's just about 2 hours since the voting polls were closed for the New Hampshire, "First in the Nation Primary", and the networks are predicting McCain to be the Republican winner. 

I just watched Rudy Giuliani concede, and now Mitt Romney is doing the same - both were done most graciously.


The Democratic winner likely won't be called until later on because right now, 9pm, it's just too close to call.  Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama are neck and neck.


Did you know just about 40% of all the registered voters in NH are registered Independents?  It's that state motto of "Live Free or Die"! 

 

I'm a registered Independent myself.  And it's been said all week long, and especially today that the vast majority of those Independents didn't make up their minds firmly until they got to the voting polls.  And I'll admit to being one of those, surprisingly enough.

I got in line at the voting polls, and while I was standing there, I still didn't know who I was going to vote for.  I was really torn between 2 candidates in one party, and 1 candidate in the other party. 

As an Independent in New Hampshire, you can vote in the primaries, and you can register to vote right up to the minutes before you actually vote.  Back to being an Independent....  when you give them your name, they make note that your address is correctly listed, and then say "you're registered as an Independent", and "how do you want to vote?".  When they ask that question, they need to know which ballot to give you so you can go into the booth and vote.

I stood there as she asked me which ballot I wanted, and was silent for what seemed like minutes, with the line behind me, all waiting to be checked in.  I literally still had not yet decided just who to vote for this afternoon.  And that caught me off guard!

I drove to my voting location for Ward 5, Little Harbor School here in Portsmouth, confident and proud to be doing my part.  I parked, and walked confidently through the throng of campaigners with their signs and scattered photographers, etc.  Several greeted me and asked for my vote, and I smiled and kept walking toward the door.  As I walked through them, I looked at each of the groups of signs, debating in my mind the issues I felt strongest about.  I walked in the door, and then the struggle became stronger inside my head.  What to do?

           

And then I was at the front of the line, being asked which ballot I wanted - "Democrat or Republican, Miss?"  This sounds really silly, I'm sure, but I was feeling a lot of pressure at that moment.  Was anyone holding their breath to see what I was going to say?  Doubtful.  They just wanted me to pick and move on, as the line was getting a little longer.

I finally did say which one I wanted, and was handed that ballot with a black marker.  I was then escorted to a booth, the curtain held open for me to enter.  In 10 seconds, it was done - my vote had been cast, and I walked to the machine to slide it through.

Then I got into another line to change back to being a registered Independent.  I love that independent streak in the residents of NH, and I'm proud of that streak in me.  My parents weren't so in love with it as I was growing up, but it's still with me today.

You know, I don't think I've ever struggled over who to vote for as much as I did this afternoon.  I've voted for a few years now, and I'll admit I didn't vote as soon as I legally could.  But once a friend took me to register, I've voted every time since then.

Today, as I stood in that line, trying to make a decision, I could feel pressure to make what I felt was the right decision.  My mom's not with us any longer, but I felt her and knew how she'd vote.  I could feel my honey Bear, knowing which ballot he'd take, and I felt my dad's presence, knowing which one he'd take.  I received a very long and extremely well-thought-out email from a good friend of mine yesterday about who his choice was and why, and I even felt his presence as I stood there saying nothing when asked which ballot I wanted.



 

I am so NOT into politics and the political world.  And to have this happen to me really strikes me as so strange.  Yes, I do pay attention to major issues, and some local issues as well, but I've never been one to struggle over decisions like I did today.  I'm still musing over that, as it's so not me.  But, I guess today, it WAS me - I took today's vote far more importantly than any in the past, I guess. 

Yes, I did cast my vote, and how I voted stays with me.  Some people won't be happy with the way I voted, some will be very happy.  In any event, it's my vote and I exercised my right to vote as I did.  And may the person I voted for go on to win many other states......



9:15pm Tuesday, John McCain is giving his speech about coming back, with a HUGE smile on his face.  The Democratic prediction is showing Hillary Clinton ahead by about 3%, still too close to call by the networks.

 

                                       

Related Posts

New Hampshire Primary ~ I Can't Wait For the Phone Calls to STOP!!
New Hampshire Primary Results - The "Comeback State"
Rye New Hampshire - A Slice of Seacoast Serenity
It's SHOWtime on the Seacoast!!
Portsmouth New Hampshire - Music, Theater, Arts, and More


http://www.newhampshiremainerealestate.com/001833