Bahia Vista Mennonite Church Home to Three Precincts

The Bahia Vista Mennonite Church, about two minutes from my Sarasota home, is where I voted yesterday.  You can see from the big smile from the nice volunteer, it was a special day.  In a rush to get to the polls and avoid the long lines that the TV kept reporting, I left my precinct number at home.  The helpful poll volunteer kindly got the number so I could get in the correct line at 6:50 am. By 7:15 am, I was back at my computer. 

Signs were prominent about "no taking pictures inside the voting room" and "turn cell phones off" was also posted where everyone could easily see to turn off their phones.  Many voters were making calls outside the voting room, and it was nice to see that not one abused the rules inside.  At least not while I was there for 15 minutes.

Our ballots where in a "secret" folder.  You had to darken and oval shape next to the candidate of your choice.  Then feed the completed ballot into a scanner or feeder which looked like a giant paper shrededer.  I heard later on the news that some voters put an "X" instead of darkening the oval space.  When you fed your ballot into the scanner if your oval shapes were marked with an "X" the scanner (feeder) spit out the ballot, and the poll attendant standing next to the feeder would tell the voter, maybe they should recheck their ballot of mistakes.  No "XXX"!

Starbucks was giving away free coffee for voters.  Somehow I missed that when I went to Starbucks first thing yesterday.

Sarasota is a wonderful place to live and vote.  Call Annette Smith for Sarasota FL real estate information.