An overcast day greeted the South Carolinians of the Upstate on their Primary day--Saturday, January 19th, 2008.  They were promised snow and rain from the early hours on, but the rain didn't start until close to noon.

One particular voter, a Hannah Goodman of Greenville, woke late and lazily prepared for her day.  Baby changed and fed, shower taken, breakfast eaten, Facebook and email checked, news watched.  At 11:30am, she finally decided it was time to head over to the polls and vote.  So she handed the sleepy baby to her husband (registered to vote in another state), and bundled up.  Warm fleece shirt, check.  Warm socks and shoes, check.  Scarf and gloves, check.  Coat, check.  Fleece hat, check.    Okay, time to go.  Opps, go back for the umbrella, since it had just started drizzling.  [Where's the snow?]

She walked down the stairs to her apartment, headed through the gates to the community, and went next door to the big Baptist church where the polls were to be located that day.  Arriving at the gym, she discovered there was a little-kid basketball game going on.  No polls.  Instead of asking someone, she went back outside and circled the large complex, looking for a sign or group of cars to indicate activity.  Aha!  The polls were in a different gym to the rear of the property, and not very well marked, unfortionately.

Going inside, Hannah handed over her voter registration card, signed the list, and headed over to the polling machines.  There were only two other people voting, with a few poll workers.  It was quiet.  Hannah cast her ballot on the machine, collected an "I Voted" sticker, and walked back home, where her husband was watching OverHaulin' with a sleeping baby on one shoulder.

No big brass bands.  No excited cheering.  No crowds.  No exit polls.  Just a "click here" and it was over.  Ballot cast.  All done.

And still no snow.