| This morning, I called the County Clerk's office to see if they had gotten my request form. While they had received it on Monday, it had been too late for them to mail me a ballot to fill out for it to count.
The kind lady at the Clerk's office informed me that, if I could make it to Elizabeth (Union County's seat of government) during the day, I could go before a judge and plead my case.
A normal graduate student with an exam to study for would probably have given up at that point . I'm not your "normal" graduate student, however - I've run for Township Council (and am doing so again this year) and voted in every other election to date. I was not going to give up my obligation as an American to participate in our democratic process.
I hopped the next train from New Brunswick to Elizabeth. I hobbled (I have a broken bone in my ankle) from the Elizabeth train station to the Board of Elections, where the Clerk's office had told me to go first. They had also wisely suggested that I fill out a new request form in advance, which I did.
The Board of Elections office was chock-full of activity - secretaries, clerks and staff were already busy. During any given Election Day, the Board of Elections has to deal with dozens of callers (if not more) and all kinds of complaints. In Union County, at least, they do their job professionally and with a good sense of humor. I was quickly introduced to the supervisor, who took down my information and confirmed on a computer that I was who I said I was (bring your ID if this happens to you!).
While normally there is a judge in the Board of Elections building to hear cases like mine, it seems that very few (if any) people request to vote in a School Board election in this manner. As such, the judge in question was at the Union County administrative office.
Thankfully, the head of the Board of Elections happened to be there, and had his car on hand (he had just returned from taking another person through the process I am about to describe). In a few minutes I was being driven through downtown Elizabeth to the administrative complex.
We took the elevator to the 14th floor, where a courtroom was situated. I was told to sit at the Plaintiff's desk, while the Board of Elections head sat at the Defendant's. In addition to us, there was a security guard and a clerk/secretary.
After a minute, Judge Wertheimer (I may be spelling that wrong) entered the room. Just like in a regular trial, we rose and remained standing until the Judge told us to sit. "What is the case?", he asked Mr. Kobitz (the Elections head)
Mr. Kobitz explained my situation and why I was requesting to vote in Elizabeth rather than returning home to vote.
"Are you Mr. Yellin?" the Judge asked me. I nodded. He asked me for my address, which I gave. He reviewed the documents given to him by Mr. Kobitz. He then gave his decision:
"Go get him his ballot."
[I should note that Mr. Kobitz and I have met each other often during my time in Union County politics. He was very helpful today, as he always has been when I needed materials or data from the Board of Elections. So this isn't a dramatic ruling whatsoever.]
We then rose again as he left. Having never been part of an actual court case before, it was an eye-opening (if painless) experience.
I got my ballot downstairs, with the Clerk's office giving my specific instructions as to how and where to sign my name, address - of course - my guarantee that I was not committing voter fraud.
We drove back to the Board of Elections, where I filled out the ballot and handed it in. It will be counted tonight like any other Vote-by-Mail ballot.
I then hopped the train back to New Brunswick. The whole saga took about 2 hours if you count the train rides.
I tell you all my story because I found it to be an interesting adventure, one that shows what Election Day can be like in places where your vote formally gets counted. While there are far more "exciting" examples of students being denied their right to vote, these tend to be exemptions to the rule.
What I saw and participated in today was a peculiar exercise in democracy - one in which people actually want to help you vote, and want to make sure you have a say in your community.
And now back to studying... |
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