So, I went down to the city hall for the last day of early voting for our municipal elections. I decided I wanted to sleep in on Saturday instead of going to the polls.

Despite a rather inefficient voting system (vote for city council at city hall, go to the school for school board), what struck me as rather odd was the way the voting was performed. I was given a paper ballot and a pen, and the ballot box was put up on the counter next to me. Two city employees stood right across the desk. There was no other place to write easily.

I finally put the ballot against the arm of the couch they have in the room. The secret ballot is, to me, a very important part of the electoral process, especially as one of the city clerks is close friends with one of the council candidates.

The balloting procedure, along with the fact that there is no ready access to municipal ordinances (you have to ask the city secretary to see the ordinances; when you ask, she'll ask you which ordinances you wish to peruse), are two things I intend to change if I can get on the city council. They are, along with a few other city practices, lawsuits waiting to happen.