Voting at the Embassy

Found out through my brother that on October 16, 2012, American expats could go to the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and vote in the 2012 presidential election.

Conveniently, that day I was at the Najah (pronounced nah-JAH) education exhibition, and that was a short distance from the US Embassy. So in the afternoon, I hopped in a taxi and went the mile or two to the embassy.  I got there before the line was really long.  Passport in hand, they let a couple of people in at a time.

Phones off.
Bags through a screener (think TSA at airport).
Step through a metal detector.
Then spread your arms and have a wand trace you.
Bags are held at the security station.

You walk to the next building, and there you fill out write-in ballots.
If you have your absentee ballot, you can turn it in.
The Embassy mails all of them free of charge.

I didn't receive my absentee ballot before I left the U.S., so used the write-in ballot.

Many staff working were working in the lobby-type area, asking mine and many people's questions. Very patient, and quite friendly.

I'm so glad I took the time to go do this.
There was just something special about going to an Embassy and having the opportunity to vote from so far away. A connection to home, and different sort of patriotic feeling.

Yup, they hand out "I voted" stickers, just like at home.
Wore mine when I went back to the education exhibition ... got some odd looks, as most probably had no idea that Americans were voting at the embassy, and they therefore wondered what the heck I had voted for.

Have to share that I do not miss the gluttony of political ads during this time. Prefer the tv news and newspaper stories, where the mud slinging is edited out.

Now I wait along with other Americans to see what the final result will be.