Some of the voters have been timed out by the electronic voting machines while others are casting their votes for the first time in the USA national general election. For Trebb and her eleven election board members with different party affiliations, it is their duty to assist everyone. Today, they expect to handle more than 2 000 people at the polling station with a projected voter turnout of 90 percent.

So far, over 585 voters have cast their votes at the school in this Democratic Party stronghold.

A couple of meters from the school cafeteria, supporters of the two front-runners in the presidential election, Democrat Barak Obama and Republican John McCain, make last minute campaigns for their candidates.

Supporters of the two candidates chat; laugh and move from one part of the school perimeter fence to another, all the time making sure that they don’t cross the red line –20 meters from the school cafeteria where they are not allowed to campaign.

Not to be outdone, two youthful aliens dish out campaign material seeking to influence voters to back legislation for the introduction of slot machines in Maryland. A constitutional amendment is being sought for the authorisation of the state to issue up to five video lottery licenses for raising revenues for education of children in public schools, funding capital projects for community colleges and high education institutions.

The atmosphere at the polling station is electric and at least eight children spice it up as they play various games a few steps from the voting machines.

There is no violence and intimidation of voters. There are no election monitors; no heavily armed police present nor are there any bloodshot-eyed election agents -- a common sight in most African elections.

Rallies, town hall meetings, presidential and vice-presidential debates, newspapers, television networks and other platforms were the battleground for luring voters. The world is green with envy, AS WELL IT SHOULD!

Grace Githaiga of Kenya, an Obama supporter dishing out Democratic Party campaign material at the University Park Elementary School, says: “This is the complete opposite of your typical African election. There is no election in our continent without intimidation, violence, chaos and a heavy police or army presence on Election Day. This is a big lesson for me and other African people.”

In Maryland, voters are choosing a presidential candidate among the six aspirants, Congress representative, Judges of the circuit court, a Judge of the Court of Special Appeals, education board member, slot machine constitutional amendment, early voting constitutional amendment and for allowing the state to borrow funds for capital projects.

While outsiders may view the ballot paper as too packed, with more than 12 items to vote for, Americans still say it’s easy to vote. Common people receive information on election issues on their doorstep before Election Day.

“We go to the polling station with written documents or knowing very well how to cast our votes. It takes a few minutes for someone to select items on the ballot paper and then press the button to cast the votes,” says Carole Conors of the League of Women Voters.

It wouldn't be an election without a single complaint of course. One of the presidential candidates, Ralph Nader, says big newspapers and election networks never covered his election campaign.

“Imagine, Joe the Plumber received more publicity than me,” says Nader referring to a commoner who has risen to fame in the Republican camp for having challenged Obama about his proposal to tax businesses earning more than $250 000 per year.

The McCain camp used Joe the Plumber to drum up support and attack Obama for what they alleged was his proposal to increase tax for small businesses if elected president.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com