I feel very unpatriotic today

I'm missing the first election of my life today.

It's the Lenape Valley/Byram Twp. school election.

I've always had trouble getting to vote at school elections, because the polls tend to be open after I'm already at work, and close before I get back.

I normally try to vote absentee ballot, which usually involved my scrambling to the county courthouse right before the election to get one and fill it out.

But I didn't go yesterday. I overslept. And it turns out you can't go to the clerk's office the day of the election.

Why don't I just apply by mail, you ask? Because normally you have to apply a week in advance, and with a school election, I usually have no idea it's coming until I get the little fake sample ballot in the mail...

About a week before the election.

With regular elections, there's a lot of hype and you know when they are. With school board elections, well, let's put it this way: I lived in Hillsborough for five years and never figured out when they were coming. I've been in Byram for six months. I only started seeing signs last week.

So I missed it. Everyone at work always makes fun of me when either a) I come in late; or b) vote absentee ballot in something as minor as a school election.

Heck, from looking at the sample ballot, I'm not sure either race is contested. There is a yes/no budget vote. (The "no"s always win. Who wants higher property taxes?)

I don't even have any kids.

But still. I love my country. And voting is an important right/privilege as a citizen. I don't take it lightly. Even the silly little school board stuff.

So I don't feel that good today to begin with. And now I feel just a little worse.

Badmunkee.