First Time to Vote?

Voter's Nail

May 13, 2013. Monday. Age of 20. Something that makes this a bit special is I had had experience my right of suffrage. I am not yet employed when I processed my papers and it took me ages of going back and forth in filing which I find partly infuriating.

No voter’s ID yet. Hearsay I’ll have it after 3 years, but haven’t visited there after that day I registered. 3 years for the making of that plastic or laminated paper for identification. I wish someone would give me a rational reason for that. Sometimes it’s a wearisome thing to ask government staff especially when they cannot answer simple queries like this.

Daybreak:

Splatter of rains with typical hotness of summer welcomed the morning of my upcoming endeavor. I woke up early but made a last minute search of who’s to vote. In short, I am UNDECIDED and UNPREPARED. It made my suppose journey of 7:00am into 10:00am.

I didn’t bother myself to join the ruckus in the information area (which I guess). In the first place, my mother gave me my precinct number as she was done voting. All of us in our family were all to be found in one precinct.

All my life I was thinking precinct as prison jail, so silly. But I am also thinking then that its too crowded and hot place for a crowd to gather.

I brought my ID with me but it ended up unused. They didn't even stare at me; only precinct number and rank in the paper posted outside were asked. Having found the room, I join the queue. To my dismay, I waited long minutes in my line as PCOS was out of order that time.

The facilitator, a teacher from high school I known only in the face, asked of my precinct number and I answered 86. But I was barked back with a reply, “Walang ganyan precinct”. That's a bunch of grouchiness. My apology for it was my first time.

Finally she found my number and I wrote my signature beside my picture with prewritten signature of mine.

The other facilitator, if I am not mistaken of their identity, were just sitting at the back of the room, relaxing, instead of accommodating new comers. Consumed by perplexity, unassisted, some of my time was wasted of thinking were to sit and where to get the folder.

Afterward, I’m back to another queue for the processing of my accomplished ballot but after few minutes of waiting in line, the PCOS went out of order again. I didn’t even have the opportunity to get a closer look and taste of that machine. :D

A very unfulfilling experience.

What happened to the ballot? They put it in a long brown envelope. Then it was followed by staining our hands with indelible ink.  That’s it. Rough estimate of 10:20-11.30. More than an hour just for the practice of suffrage. Then I went home.

I SHOULD:

Have researched ahead of time but then I also believe I might still end up undecided. It’s no joke to be like me, meticulous and sometimes tend to be perfectionist.

I WISH:

I engaged my self in political issues and conversations before.