Down at the Graduate Hospital entrance (my neighborhood polling building) on 18th and South, things were different than others might expect. There was no immense crowd in a seemingly endless line, but voters streaming in and out one by one through the open doors. I sat down with Teri Connor to get the scoop on the election experience at the Graduate.

     Teri is a veteran voter who also gave her vote in the primaries, as well as the elections in past years. She came to the hospital to cast her vote, and work helping others do the same. Her children were left in the care of her husband, who had taken off fro his job to give the family a chance to come out to the polls. Teri's presidential choice was Obama. one susrprising fact I found out was that obama was her choice not onyl because of her view that he was a better suited candidate, but due to fear as well. "I'm scared of where McCain would take us in the future. He's out of touch with most American people, except for the richer part. I think obama will lead us into a brighter future in all areas," she said. 

    In terms of the voting experience today, Teri claims it was not very hectic, but there were many new faces at the polls. Her view, based on her experience working at the polls today, is that this election's circumstances (our economy being at stake and the war needing decisions made, for example)drew ou a multitude of first-time voters. She says the polls were easy to access at the rate people came and went. However, the longer, more difficult questions asked of voters during the voting process is what may have delayed their decisions. 

    Now to get into Teri's experience in particular. "Fear (of a McCain future) and desire  for change," according to her, is what inspired her decision to vote for Obama.Relating to how elections work, teri said that our current system is "confusing" and that "we should have popular vote." To her, the popular vote would be a fairer, more simple system of election. Touching on the value of voting, Teri stated that everyone's vote counts, and that she greatly dislikes when people believe their vote doesn't count/amount to anything. "if more people realized that their vote does count,then the number of voter turnout would be much higher, and more people would get inspired to go out and vote," Teri expressed. In her eyes, Barack Obama is more in touch with the people of America, and he will lead us into a brighter future than what we have now. A better economy, education system, healthcare system, and inprovement in all other areas is what she believes Obama will bring us.