My Experience Voting in the West Virginia Primary

I voted Tuesday in the West Virginia Democratic Primary. The hardest part of voting was finding where I was supposed to vote. I looked online and I could not find any locations. I found I phone number, which I called. However, it was 5:30 p.m., and their offices were closed. Because schools were closed for the elections, I assumed the voting was at my stepson's school. On my way, a neighbor I knew passed me and, as fate would have it, he pulled over to the side of the road. I asked him where I needed to go to vote. The answer was the fire station, which was conveniently located close to my house.

Inside the fire station, they had a room set up. They had two people giving out the election ballots. One manned a line for people with last names starting A-K, and the other manned a line for last names starting with L-Z. Apparently more people vote with a last name starting with L through Z. The wait was not bad. After a few minutes, it was my turn. I stated my name and the ballot keeper looked me up in his book of names. Everything checks out. I was legit. I am a registered independent voter, so I was able to pick which ballot I wanted. I picked the Democratic one because I wanted to vote in the Democratic primary. I did find out from my wife, there was a Republican primary going on as well. The Republicans get two! Perhaps the Democrats had a small one art the Republican primary. I don't know since I didn't vote at the Republican primary.

The ballot was a paper ballot and it was handed to you with a folder. Then you went behind a booth. It was not really a booth it was a big piece of plastic on a desk which you could hide behind as you marked your votes on your ballot. The first choice on the ballot was for president. I was able to choose between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. In my county Jefferson, the voting was closer than the rest of the state. Clinton won with 4,322, Obama had 4,016, and Edwards had 398. Clinton won big in the state overall.