Vote early and often? Well, how about early!

Vote early and often?  Well, how about early!

There's an old saying that the best way to support your candidate is to vote early and often. 

OK, the "often" part is bad and wrong and could land you in the slammer!  But voting early is becoming quite common, and perhaps a great idea.

Over the years, I've almost always voted on election day.  I also was usually helping out for one of the candidates (usually for Mayor or City Counsel).  And election day was pretty exciting, because it was a time of coming together with neighbors and friends to pick our leaders. 

Whether you vote early or late, it's important to vote!  And with the funky weather we had earlier this week, some DC residents who wanted to vote early found their plans frustrated.  So the DC Government has expanded early voting hours for Friday and Saturday, from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm.  There are locations for each of the cities eight wards, but if you are voting early, you may vote at any of the neighborhood locations.

Here are your choices:

• Columbia Heights Community Center
  1480 Girard Street, NW
• Takoma Community Center
  300 Van Buren Street, NW
• Chevy Chase Community Center
  5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW
• Turkey Thicket Recreation Center
  1100 Michigan Avenue, NE
• King Greenleaf Recreation Center
  201 N Street, SW
• Dorothy Height/Benning Library
  3935 Benning Rd. NE
• Southeast Tennis and Learning Center
  701 Mississippi Avenue, SE

And one hint - as a resident of Crestwood (in Ward 4) I had a choice of Columbia Heights (parking hassles) and the Takoma Community Center (lots of easy street parking) and opted to drive up to Takoma Park rather than circle the block in Columbia Heights looking for a place to put my car. 

I voted yesterday, and the lines were longer than anything I've experienced voting on election day.  And I was with one neighbor there with me (actually, we carpooled).  I'm glad I got it done, but I did sort of miss running into friends and neighbors I don't see every day.  But with the way my schedule can be turned upside down, it's good to check this important task off of my to-do list.