If government should stand on its head to make anything convenient for the public, voting should be at the top of the list. I don't begrudge others who want to vote early or by mail, but I like voting in person on or near election day. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's my small way of connecting to society or maybe I'm just set in my ways. And, so, I showed up at the Eagan, Minnesota Civic Arena around 8 a.m. on election day 2026 while the parking lot still had plenty of empty spaces.
I did not mean to stir up trouble.
The drama started when the election judge asked me my last name and first three letters of my first name. I was prepared. My official first name is Daniel, but I use my middle name, Greg. I said, "Scott, D A N." That sounded weird. But never let 'em see you sweat.
She found me and verified my address. Good, one hurdle down.
Then she asked me to sign my name attesting I really am me. I said, "Wait a minute," and reached into my pocket.
Events went downhill from there.
The lady said, "You don't need to show me your driver's license."
"I'm not looking for my driver's license. I can't find my reading glasses." They were not in my pocket. I must have left them at home.
Now a major decision - should I go home and grab my traveling cheaters and come back, or should I suffer through reading the teeny tiny print on my ballot?
I was already there and a line was forming outside. If I left and came back, who knew how long the line would grow? The chief election judge offered an electronic ballot that might be easier to read. I decided to tough it out. I told him I would deal with the paper ballot - I'm farsighted; I could decipher it by holding it far away. He offered me a magnifying glass. I thanked him.
I had spent hours leading up to election day 2026 researching my votes because voting is serious business. I wrote my choices down in an email to myself and family. And then another election judge warned me that checkmarks and little dots were not good enough - I needed to completely fill in those little ovals.
Tiny failures can sink big plans. But not this time. I put that magnifying glass to good use making sure I properly filled in all those ovals, and then I double and triple-checked to make sure I filled in the right ovals. Amazing the detail you can see when the details are enlarged.
And then I returned the magnifying glass and fumbled trying to feed my ballot into the scanner. A helpful election judge showed me the correct slot.
THIS is how voting should work. Nice election judges offering to help voters vote, voters expressing their will in private voting booths, everyone exchanging pleasantries, and the major drama happens when somebody forgets their reading glasses.
By the time the polls close on election day 2026, I hope those volunteers will be dog-tired for the right reasons - for spending all day facilitating voting, and even finding a creative way to help a farsighted bald guy vote. They'll go to bed tonight or early tomorrow morning tired but satisfied for an important job well done.
Thank you to the election volunteers at my polling place and around the United States for your service. Especially given today's political climate, may my reading glasses drama be the most urgent issue you have to face.
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