I Get To Vote!!

When I first arrived in Minnesota, the first thing I did was register my new 4Runner. While I was there, I found out that I had to take the Written Test in order to obtain my Minnesota Driver's License. Since that day, I have avoided going to the DMV. But who can blame me? It's not like the DMV is anyone's idea of a good time! Especially when you have to take a test. I figured I would just stay licensed in CA; I mean, it's valid across the US and I don't look half-dead in the picture as some license pictures turn out... I had just one problem (besides the whole, "you have to get a license once you've been in the state "x" number of days..." problem)... I can't vote in Minnesota if I am not registered to vote in Minnesota, and I can't register to vote in Minnesota if I don't have a valid Minnesota I.D. (or utility bill, which I also don't have).

This is when my wheels began to turn... I could always just try and vote "absentee" in CA by sending away for an absentee ballet... I could have it sent to my old apartment where my friend Rachel still lives and then she could forward it to me! I felt a little guilty about this idea since the county sent me a postcard that asked for my permanent address and told me if I gave them an incorrect address (like my old address), they would send me to prison forever. So, I told the truth: I live in MN now.

The second reason my "vote absentee in CA" idea bombed, as if the first wasn't enough, was because in the words of one of my favorite cousins, "McCain (who I will be voting for... no secret there) doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell in California." Minnesota, on the other hand, is a "swing state" this election so all the votes matter a whole lot!!

I finally dragged myself to the DMV and took the test (I got an 80%... the lowest score you can get before you fail... but good news, the 2nd test would have also been free! A sad consolation). I would have done better but some of the questions were ambiguous! If you talked to any of my professors or job trainers, you'd find that I am notorious for challenging test questions, especially ambiguous questions. As I was sitting there taking my test, answering incorrectly on some of the ambiguous questions, I thought to myself... "If I fail, should I complain about the test questions?" But then I figured I wouldn't... it's not like they wrote the questions or would have done anything about it, even if they had agreed.

The moral of the story... I am voting in November! I could not, in good conscience, fail to find a way to vote when I am clearly passionate about this election.

Disclaimer: If you live in CA and plan on voting for McCain, don't let the "snowball's chance in hell" comment discourage you from voting! If all you McCain-Supports get out and vote, who knows what can happen =)