Vote or Die!

Election interview 2008 by Mayuko Nakatsuka


1. Hi Venus. Describe your polling place. Where is it? Was it convenient for you to get there? How long did it take to vote?

My polling place is on 116 street between 1st and 2nd avenue at a community center. There are four voting district booths at the community center. Which means that people from all over the neighborhood vote there. I think my voting district is 80. It was so easy for me to get there because I live 3 blocks away. It actually only took me about fifteen minutes. I was lucky because I was running late fopr work. It was 9 am and I needed to vote before work because by the time I got home the polls would have closed. A lot of people had this experience with time also, my partner had to vote at like 7 am. I was lucky because most people told me that there were lines everywhere. On 116st and 5th avenue at the voting place there was a big line. One guy had a camera. I got my camera later in the day and took election NIGHT pictures!

2. Experience : Did you take anyone with you to vote? Did you talk to anyone while at the polling station? If so, what did you discuss?

I went alone. It was morning.I didn't talk to anyone but I felt like it was kindve easy to tell who was voting for obama. NY is a democratic state and i live in a minority neighborhood. But besides that people looked happy.


3. Why are you voting this election cycle?

I'm voting because I'm taking a leap of faith, he may not have a lot of experience but if the people like him, that's important to me. Because I have never witnessed so many people so excited about a candidate in my 22 years. It makes you feel good. It's a lot of patriotism, kinve makes your head spin, in a good way. NYC felt like New Year's eve all of election night at the bars and in the streets.


4. How did you feel after you voted?

I felt really good. I saw a young woman dressed in funky clothing walking down the street and I thought "people feel good", they are going to vote for obama. But moreover I could tell that she felt comfortable in her skin. She was wearing clothes that made her feel open and hopeful. I was right, I watched her walk over to the community center. All day I asked people if they voted. It put me in a good mood.

5. Do you plan to vote in the next election? Why or why not?

This election took away my pessimism that the vote would be stolen. I really was scared. This is the second election I voted in, in my life. If the next candidate is good, I'll vote. Either way I'll probably vote, it's important that we do that. That we choose someone. The people should elect the president. Not the system.

-VFB

Real Anarchists vote.