I voted today in Princeton for the candidates of my choice, but I want to share briefly an exchange I had with a campaign worker standing outside the polling station.
She and I are acquainted. This campaign worker is a local politician; no need to tell you the office she occupies.
“Are you a Democrat or a Republican or are you an independent?” she asked. My answer was non-descript. “I have voted in both primaries,” I said. “Oh, I was just wondering,” she said.
Hmm. We exchanged a couple of pleasantries and then I went inside to cast my ballot.
Now, readers of this blog likely can determine which primary I cast that ballot. My campaign-worker friend had no reason to know, or any reason to ask which party to which I belong.
In Texas, we don’t “join” political parties before casting ballots. Ours is an open-primary system. What troubles me is that my acquaintance sought to question me out loud, in public, in front of a polling place. I don’t know how she would have reacted had I declared myself to be of the wrong political party.
Is that a form of electioneering? I kind of think so.
The exchange made me uncomfortable this morning. I don’t believe casting one’s ballot — which we do in private — should be a cause for discomfort.
