Taking Me A Lot Longer To Recover
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29819)
Momence, Illinois
April 7, 2017 8:23am CST
I haven't been to active here on mylot this week. There is a reason for it. I am an election judge and we had local elections this past Tuesday. I really love doing the elections but it's a horribly long day. We have to be at the polls at 5 am and we open at 6 am and close at 7 pm. So with closing the polls and the very early start it becomes a 15 plus hour day.
Usually I can recover in a day from the lack of sleep on that day, but for some reason this election took me 2 days. I slept good the night of the election, sleeping for 8 1/2 hours but I woke up tired and was very lethargic all day. Thursday wasn't much better. So far today I feel more rested.
It was a long day at the polls, we had election of the mayor of our small town. I live in a town surrounded by farmers fields. So all those people living outside of town didn't get to vote for the mayor, as you have to live within the city limits to vote for the mayor. It doesn't matter what I think about this it's the law. Well I can't tell you how many people questioned this and some were downright nasty about it. That made for a long stressful day. Maybe that's why this election has been so tiring for me.
Hope you all have a most wonderful day.
27 people like this
28 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
7 Apr 17
Stress will do that to you. Hope you will recover soon cause we miss you around here!
4 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
Today I'm feeling more rested, surprised me it took so long to feel better.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
@Happy2BeMe Thanks so very much.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
7 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Awww glad to hear that you are feeling more rested today.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502481)
• Italy
7 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 I am glad, another good night of sleep and you will be okay.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
@LadyDuck Yes I will doing nothing much again today.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
Thanks Anna I do feel better today
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111937)
• United States
7 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 there you go.That is all that matter there
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
My boss called me two days after the election and told me the same thing, he is happy with my work and that's all that really matters.
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
@amadeo Yes I needed to hear that made me feel way better
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
8 Apr 17
I live in a house surrounded by farmer's fields and I know I can't vote for the Mayor of any town. I don't understand why they were upset.
We have a Reeve and our own country Councillors to vote for. And all civic elections in Alberta are held on the same day.
2 people like this
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
12 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 There are those chronic complainers.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Apr 17
@paigea And sadly I know some of those types of people.
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
It wasn't like this was the first ever election for mayor, I'm sure they must have know they couldn't vote for mayor but some folks just have nothing better to do than complain I suppose.
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
No lol Russia doesn't influence anything I do
1 person likes this
@Plethos (13718)
• United States
7 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 - just checking, because according to major news networks, they can somehow influence the voting system. 
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
@Plethos So they say but no they influence nothing where I come from.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
7 Apr 17
It's too bad people had to get nasty. :/ I always wondered what the cuties of election judges are....
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
We hand out the ballots, help people when they are confused, but not allowed to help them vote. And we secure the live ballots and deliver them to the clerks office.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Apr 17
@FayeHazel It's cool to learn exactly how our voting system works in the US, I really enjoy it and have no plans to quit being an election judge. I'm retired so I have plenty of time.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
11 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 That sounds fun actually
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Apr 17
I don't understand how people can take out their frustrations on you when you are only the messenger.
I am not certain I would be able to endure such a long day, especially when people get mouthy with you over things that you have no control over.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
13 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 if you enjoy doing it, that is what counts.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Apr 17
@ElusiveButterfly I really do enjoy it.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
It is brutal, but that said I do enjoy being an election judge. I have been doing it now for 9 years, and plan on doing it for many more years to come.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
I'm finally feeling better today, more rested. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
7 Apr 17
At least it will be a while before you have to do it again.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
Yes I'm thinking at least a year, I'm not sure when state senators and the like are up for election again.
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
It really does and we had to remain polite and professional.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
Yes indeed we got yelled at a few times for that but it's not my law, but people just know they are mad and so we catch it when they are. Thanks I am finally feeling better today.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
8 Apr 17
oh, that was indeed a very stressful day. good thing you were able to sleep well after a hard day's work
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
12 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 me too, i easy catch my sleep when i am so tired the whole day. 
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
12 Apr 17
@ridingbet Since I have had menopause I have lots more difficulty falling asleep, but once I finally get to sleep I usually sleep the night. Drives me crazy when I struggle to fall asleep even thought I'm tired.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
I was instantly asleep that night lol.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
7 Apr 17
Same happened to me once, although we have to live by the city law and call the city police we are not allowed to vote for Mayor, I think we were one block out to far!
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Apr 17
That's the way it goes. I don't make the rules and I don't print the ballots I just hand them out and keep the votes safe. But to be yelled at for things out of my control is stressful.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
11 Apr 17
Local politics can be even more of a minefield than national politics and I can imagine people being upset by not having a vote, I feel that way at our cottage and in Florida, they can tax me but I have no say.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
13 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Yah exactly and most of the people with the power don't want to share it.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Apr 17
I think if a local government can make rules that affect me I should have a say, but I have no authority to make it so.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Apr 17
@BelleStarr Of course they don't, and being an election judge doesn't mean I agree with any of them, my opinion is all politicians are crooks.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9170)
• United States
14 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 yes, I guess there are always a few. that is to bad
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
I really do enjoy it, unless any of the voters gets testy with us.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Apr 17
@mom210 Something we cant control and we just have to grin and bear it.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Apr 17
I've thought about volunteering for that sort of thing once I retire. I haven't decided yet what if anything I'd volunteer for, but people I know do it. I'd have to consider the times I'd have to be there for that as I'm not an early riser. Unless some do shifts then it may not be too bad. A lot of retired women work at the hospital too. Some at the front desk, some in the gift shop and others run errands for certain areas, that might be interesting too. First we'll have to retire and then see whether I'll still be running our business then or not.
If that's all the voting was for you'd think the people on the outskirts would have stayed home since they should already know about the law concerning that and not given the rest of you there that grief and stress. Hope you're feeling better soon.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Maybe they pay for those hours all around the country, I didn't realize that may be a possibility.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
12 Apr 17
We do get paid for that day and that's nice. Yes some people are just habitually crabby and I think enjoy causing grief.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
14 Apr 17
@MarshaMusselman In Illinois they do and I have a friend who is an election judge in Indiana, I live about 10 miles from the Indiana border, and she gets paid as well.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
8 Apr 17
It is quite an event and stressful to work so hard for those hours, I would have to take a few days after that too, good for you for helping out by being there.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
12 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 I can imagine that. I think it would take me that long to recover too.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
Yes this election was a bit brutal, so glad it's over. And took me almost 3 days to recover.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40846)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Apr 17
That is a really long day to volunteer at the polls. I wished they split it up into two shifts. It would probably be easier to get more people to volunteer.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40846)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 - Yes, I can see the difficulty in splitting the shifts. However, everyone I know who has volunteered to help has said how exhausting it is. There should be a solution.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Apr 17
I think the problem with that is we are responsible for the live votes, so if they split the shifts and an error is made it's just more people they have to sift through to see what happened, or how the error occurred.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Apr 17
@DeborahDiane I think there is no solution, and I don't know if you have noticed that most of the election judges are older as they have the time to sit there all day. Retired and all. So we grin and bear it. It is voluntary so we don't have to do it.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
11 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Not a problem. I've been that tired. I was today.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Apr 17
ooops see how tired I was lol, Thanks Valerie.
1 person likes this
