No More Purple Thumbs

I'm a first time voter (I'm not really counting the referredum on so called gender equality because that was just heartbreaking). And as a first time voter the election was disappointing to say the least.  

Even though it was my first time voting, I registered in 2012 and even transferred my registration to the Bahamian embassy in New York since I was in college at the time. However, it was my final semester and I honestly couldn't be bothered to make the trip to the city to vote when finals and graduation were staring me in the face. 

Anyway, I knew this election wouldn't miss me at the polls. For the past year I've avoided any heavy conversations about politics and upon moving to Nassau became an undecided voter all over again because I didn't know the candidates. Eventually I made a decision and I'm proud to have voted for the first time, but honestly I was truly disappointed about how it all played out.  

I'll preface my disappointment with the fact that the line was short and moved quickly so that was one plus. Everything else however left much to be desired. For example, why are we still voting behind cardboard partitions that primary school students do projects on? Why are we still using a PENCIL to vote? You mean in 2017 I can't at least get a pen? Why are we still dipping people's fingers in purple ink to prove that they voted? And why do they put your voters card number on your ballot?  

We need a completely modernized voting process, because my pencil broke and the woman was being a complete bitch so I had to pick up the broken lead and write with that. On top of that, even though I bleached the ink off, my finger nail still looks gross and disgusting and because of my hair dye I don't want to put polish on top of it. And lastly because a high school election where people raise their hands or say yay or nay is more anonymous than our antiquated voting system.   

I was proud to be a first time voter because I was proud to have some say in the direction our country is headed. However, after voting, I feel significantly less proud. I was proud to post my purple thumb on social media but looking at my still brownish thumb days later really has me wondering why we still dip thumbs like is 1917 and not 2017. The people spoke this election cycle and they need to speak again before 2022 so if nothing else changes, the voting process does.