There were 240 people in line when the doors opened at 7 a.m. at St. Williams Church, one of three polling places on our little island of 18,000.
Some folks said they had tried for early voting on the mainland only to discover that only four booths were set up and a line several hours long.
New signs this year prohibited cameras, cell phones or any recording devices.
The ballot, as usual, was primarily Republican with Democratic candidates in only a handful of races. I wrote in "Bruce Springsteen" against our Congressman Jack Kingston.
Sure, you don't see Springsteen in the district and he probably doesn't have a clue about local issues. But the same can be said for the incumbent. And Kingston doesn't have a righteous band behind him.
Other than our daughter, there was only one other young man clearly voting in his first presidential election, but that doesn't concern me. There are not that many young people on this island and they are not genetically disposed to getting in line at 6:30 a.m.
Georgia, of course, had one of those "marriage protection" amendments for consideration. If it could have prevented some of the hetereo breeding pairs I saw in line I might of considered it, but framed as it was, thumbs down was easy.
The expectation from others in line was that the presidential race would not be settled tonight. My hope is that all these voters who have been sitting out the last several races are here, bleary-eyed with their coffee mugs, because they are tired of the way things are and believe they can be better.
For the next several hours, that's what I choose to believe.
It would be spectacular to know it for fact tomorrow.

Copyright 2004 Judi Griggs