Letter to the Editor: Voting Experience

tent — Voting results were displayed outside the Historic Rockwall County Courthouse last night, where many folks gathered after voting. Photo by Blue Ribbon News.

(ROCKWALL, TX – March 2, 2016) Yesterday, March 1 was my first experience working in a Precinct Election and boy did I pick a good one. I was at Reinhardt Elementary in Precinct 1. The workers got there around 6:00 AM to start setting up and the door officially opens at 7:00 AM. We had people standing in line by 6:45 AM and once the door opened at 7:00 AM, there was no time when there were no voters in the room. At 7:00 PM, when we were required to stop allowing new voters to enter, the line stretched down the hall, around the corner and over 100 feet beyond the front doors of the school. These people knew that it would take them well over an hour to make their way inside to cast their vote, but they stuck it out. Naturally there were a few that left, but very few.

The amazing thing is that I heard very few a gripes or complaints. They were all wonderful! They patiently waited in line and chatted with others around them. Being from the same area (Precinct 1), many make new friendships. We had them all come in at 7:00 PM and they snaked around and down the hall like a conga line. The last person in was cast his ballot around 9:45 PM – that is nearly a 3 hour wait! Once he made it to the doorway of the library, where the election was held, he received a cheering round of applause. I venture to say that Rockwall is one of the few places where the people are so understanding and have such great spirt. At the end, when we were down to the last fifty or so voters, each would get a high five and/or a round of applause as they left.

One other thing I wanted to mention. We had over 20 young adults that voted for their first time. It is a joy to see them raised in a community that stresses individual freedoms and the right (privilege) to vote. My wife and I have lived in Rockwall for less than three years, but I am proud to claim Rockwall as my home and count these great people not as citizens, but friends.

Submitted by Jerry Welch, Rockwall resident and Realtor.

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