{"id":14349,"date":"2024-11-06T03:06:35","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T03:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=14349"},"modified":"2024-11-06T03:45:17","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T03:45:17","slug":"tuesday-night-at-the-durham-board-of-elections-snacks-but-not-much-of-a-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2024\/11\/06\/tuesday-night-at-the-durham-board-of-elections-snacks-but-not-much-of-a-party\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuesday night at the Durham Board of Elections: Snacks, but not much of a party"},"content":{"rendered":"
Calling the event at the Durham\u2019s Board of Elections a \u201cparty\u201d would be generous. The only things separating it from an ordinary government meeting were the snack offerings and the \u201cRelaxing Music with Amazing Nature Scenery\u201d YouTube video playing in the background. One woman walked in, looked around, said, \u201cThis is it? This the party?\u201d and promptly left.<\/span><\/p>\n But on Tuesday night, a handful of dedicated Durhamites chose to take a front row seat and spend their election night here.<\/span><\/p>\n The attendees milled around a rectangular room with tantalizing attractions on each wall. On either side were screens projecting the North Carolina State Board of Elections website\u2019s latest ballot counts. A long window across the back wall provided a peek into the main event: ballot machines spitting out receipts to be meticulously folded by election workers. Durham\u2019s votes were being tallied \u2014 albeit very slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n At the front, the five members of the Board of Elections \u2013 the hosts of the \u201cparty\u201d \u2013 sat behind their desks, occasionally signing papers but mostly staring anxiously at screens. With their hosts occupied, the guests were forced to mingle among themselves and munch on the county-provided mini Oreos and Ritz crackers.<\/span><\/p>\n Though the invite list was long \u2013 the general public of Durham \u2013 the attendees were few. Among them was Dr. Warren Herndon, a retired college professor hoping for \u201ca bright night and a better tomorrow.\u201d His party trick was offering a pop quiz to anyone who would listen, with his business card as a reward.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTrue or false: the United States is the No. 1 country in the free world, and we are conducting ourselves as such?\u201d he asked. He was usually met with shrugs and furrowed brows. The reply he was looking for was \u2018False,\u2019 but even those who answered incorrectly ended up getting his card anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n