Is this machine for voting or video poker?

In a rare battle triumph in the War of Heather & Becci vs The State of North Carolina - both of us were allowed to vote in today's election.

However, we did note a few things to share about the experience:

(1) Although it is illegal to campaign within a certain vicinity of the entrance to the polling place, it is apparently okay for campaigners to stand next to the polling place door (out of the rain) and then run out past the designated "legal" spot to hand you literature about "Our Fine Republican Candidates"
(2) You have to sign a form that, "Verifies you are who you say you are and this is your first vote of the day." Okay, no problem - is there another place to go where we can place our second vote of the day?
(3) In "non-partisan" election choices, party affiliations are unlisted even though they clearly matter - so be sure to bring your cheat sheet or study up in advance (or take that hand-out on "Our Fine Republican Candidates" for a use that was less-than intended)
(4) You better know how to read if you want to vote in North Carolina. Our "ballot" was 6 pages long and was mostly text. No joke.
(5) You also better be familiar with video gaming. When not being used for voting, the touch-screen machines the State of North Carolina prefers for voting seem as though they might double as video poker machines for use in local bars.
(6) Want to see what/who you just voted for? Curious about your neighbor's vote? No worries - just take a peek at the little print out that scrolls through the left side of the voting machine.

All in all - a win is still a win and we'll take this battle victory in hopes that this is the turning point in the War and soon we'll have a complete (as well as undamaged and discounted) bedroom set, a NC driver's license for Becci, and NC license plates on both cars. A bit ambitious? Perhaps but we've got Becci Menghini "We Can Do It - No Problem" Confidence on our side.

PS: An episode of West Wing once said something about hoping for rain on an election day as it doesn't keep the die-hard liberals from coming out to vote but generally dissuades the wishy-washy conservatives. It's raining pretty hard here today and hopefully in Wisconsin too.