Pennsylvania doesn’t have a formal, open early-voting period—which in my humble opinion every state should have—but then we also still have “state stores,” and you can’t buy a single six-pack anywhere outside of your local corner bar. Fortunately for PA beer drinkers, you can’t spit without hitting a corner bar in this state.
Less than two weeks ago, I found out that I was going back to India with an honors student who managed to get herself invited to a conference in Dharamsala. Fortunately for me, this student is more on top of things than I am and sent me a text last week: “Don’t forget to fill out ur absentee voter’s form for the primaries...”
Holy hell! I’d forgotten that we’d be gone on the 26th! I frantically filled out the paperwork, mailed it in, and it arrived yesterday. Sucker’s in the mail today—marked as pictured.
So, thanks to my on-top-of-things student, I’m getting to go to Dharamsala, India AND cast my vote for Hillary Clinton in the PA primary.
Whoever your candidate, if anyone else is in need of an absentee ballot for PA, ballots have to be received by Friday. It’s late, but still do-able: www.dosimages.pa.gov/…
For the rest of you who are in states that have not yet voted, be sure to check your calendars and make arrangements to vote absentee if you’re going to be out-of-state.
In my case, I think I may be out-of-mind, but, hey, adventure! And if Hillary wins PA, as I think she will, I’ll be celebrating in the shadow of the Dalai Lama’s home in McLeod Ganj.
(By the way, the conference seeks to promote nonviolent pressure on China to democratize and to stop oppressing minorities, and His Holiness is supposed to deliver remarks. Someone pinch me….)