A view from the voting booth (11/8 column)

I voted Tuesday. How many of you did the same?

Mid-term elections have a traditionally lower turnout than presidential elections. In 2004, 55.3 percent of the voting-age population made it to the polls. Compare that with 37 percent in 2002. Although it might not seem like that much percentage-wise, that’s a difference of nearly 40 million people. To put it into perspecitive, George W. Bush won the popular vote by just three million. In Wisconsin, we are even better than average. In 2004, 71.4 percent came out to vote Bush or Kerry.

All indications are present for an usually high voter turnout Tuesday as well: controversial issues, hot topic referendums and two parties struggling for control of Congress. Even the little country town halls were buzzing Tuesday. In my township, I was the 40th person to vote, and that was shortly after 8 a.m. Since this is only my third November election I’ve been eligible to vote in, the novelty of voting is still there. However, after casting my ballot a few times now, I can see why people purposely don’t vote.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that it is election day. Political ads have been screaming at us from every TV channel and radio station for months now. “I didn’t know,” is no excuse. Some might blame long lines or a long wait. My first experience at the polls Tuesday (other times were via absentee ballot) was quick and efficient, especially considering I didn’t pre-register. Other people might ignore politics because they don’t care. Everyone should care, even if they don’t like it. I care enough to pay my bills even if I don’t like to. Before today, I couldn’t figure out why people didn’t vote. But now I think I know a little better. Choices. There are not enough choices on the ballot.

For weeks I’ve been agonizing over which way to vote for one particular office. The truth is I didn’t like any of the candidates. The nasty political ads I saw didn’t help either. I don’t think I saw a single positive ad from either candidate. Every single one said the world would end if I voted for the other candidate. Not wanting the world to end, when I filled my ballot in I skipped that section and picked the rest of my favorites. With my number two pencil, it was like taking a test all over again. Especially since I did it like I always did: skipped the question I didn’t know. After the rest had been completed I came back to that office. That’s when the old test anxiety, a condition I thought I would never have to face again, started coming back. The thoughts racing, I stood there waiting for the right answer to come to me. After a minute or two I got frustrated and used an old strategy: I picked the first one my pencil came down on, turned it in and left.

Then I got in my car to head to work. A political ad screamed not to vote for the person I just cast my ballot for. Turns out in elections there is no right choice, only wrong ones. No wonder people don’t vote. Who likes to be wrong?