7 October 2003

Tuesday is my busy day, but I did take time to vote - once again, voting for one of the losing candidates. At least this time, the losing candidate got fewer votes than the winner. Strangely enough, the winner didn't need to get more votes than the sitting governor to take over the office, but he got more votes anyway. Current count is 48% for the Mr. Schwarzenegger and 45% to keep Mr. Davis in office. The ballot had a Yes/No recall vote on the left side, followed by a list of 135 candidates on the next few pages. Theoretically, the winner could have received less than 1% of the votes, as long as more than 50% of the people voted Yes on the recall.

Maybe this winner won't be so bad after all. He supports education and environmental protection: two of my key voting issues. He seems honest and intelligent. I'm optimistic that the compassion and social good will so prominent in the political careers of his inlaws might spill into his own. I have to admit that I like our new governor. I hope his positive, cooperative attitude can endure and bring people together up there in Sacramento.

Pictured: my polling location, my ballot stub without the chads, and the guy I didn't vote for.

That's Governor Schwarzenegger to you, bub!

DWL