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From: Osage Voter Number 448
Date: 3/11/2006
Time: 11:07:34 PM
Remote Name: 205.188.117.69
Please forward to all: When I voted in Pawhuska today at 4:00 pm, the voting machine advanced from 447 to 448, so I take that to mean that I was the 448th person to vote on site. Also, when the voter registration book was opened, so that I could sign my name, it looked as though 2 absentee ballots had been issued, and one person had voted early on the entire page of eligible voters. When I signed my name to show I'd voted, mine was the only actual signature on the page. I would pay close attention to the raw numbers of those who actually voted because I expect turnout to be quite low. Additionally, the government reform commissioners and their staff were hovering throughout the building, and there were no poll judges or election monitors that I noticed. I asked a friend to accompany me to the polling place because, quite frankly, I was scared and intimidated. I find it interesting that the Reform Commission distributed so much campaign literature stating that we should "be courageous" and vote. Well, in my opinion, it took absolutely no courage to vote "yes." It took a lot of courage to vote "no," which I assume is why turnout will turn out to be so dismal. As for Plan "B," part of me says keep fighting. But the other part of me says this thing will collapse under its own weight, without any help from me. The first time there's a grant application requiring legislative action, and the National Congress is not available to pass an appropriate resolution (because the Congress only meets 24 days every six months), there will be much consternation, head scratching, and "I told you so's."