It was my privilege today to vote in College Park, Maryland for Bernie Sanders for President
Steny Hoyer left a voice mail message saying they were expecting long lines in P.G. County. The sample ballot previously mailed to me suggested that between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. would be the best time to show up and have the smallest chance of facing long lines.
I arrived at 3:05 p.m. and got the last parking place in the lot of the Methodist Church, in the basement of which the voting was taking place. It is not that large of a parking lot, and I was surprised so few people were there. Before I had pulled into the lot, I noticed a large sign which had large-print words saying in effect, "No electioneering permitted past this point." And so there was none.
I had carefully reviewed the sample ballot mailed to me. This is the first year of the State of Maryland's voting "rewind" to paper ballots. I marked the sample ahead of time so I could refer to it as I voted. I specifically needed the section on choice of delegates.
When I walked inside, I was first in line. Two other voters were there already voting behind curtains. The woman at the table motioned me over and smilingly welcomed me. She asked only for my name and address and quickly found it on the main register. She printed a receipt which I was asked to sign, verifying all the information. No identification was requested. Then I was directed to another table, given my official ballot, instructed to mark it as I chose fit in one of the booths, and then go to the mark on the floor to signal my ballot was ready to be scanned. I finished very quickly and walked to the mark on the floor in the middle of the room.
Another poll worker stood by the scanning machine and told me to insert my ballot. Effortlessly, it rolled through, and she gave me a sticker saying "I voted." I was done.
Time elapsed from the moment I entered the door until I exited: 6 minutes. As I walked out, I looked at my watch and it was 3:11 p.m. I felt buoyed by the knowledge that in all probability my vote was safely cast and would definitely be counted. Paper is the way to go, I do believe.
As I walked to my car, I cannot describe the happiness I felt had having voted for Bernie Sanders for President. I have admired him and his political positions long before he announced he would run for President. His reputation in the State of Vermont has prompted an 86 percent approval rating from the people who reside therein. He garners about 25 percent of the Republican vote because Republicans say he is the only politician who has been honest with them. That reputation preceded him into this contest, and despite what opposition personnel say, his record for being a person of integrity has maintained the test of time for decades and has been authenticated by people who know him best.
And so it was my pleasure to vote for Bernie Sanders in this 2016 contest. As I left the parking lot of the church, past the church property and on public land was a Bernie for President sign.
That made me smile, and I will rest peacefully tonight. I wanted to share the voting experience here in Maryland because I believe the American people should always be able to cast a vote for their preferred candidate in an easy, quick and safeguarded manner. I hope every state converts to paper.
Sam
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I felt the same when I voted in March.
And thank you for voting
My state hasn't voted yet, but with such a deeply felt desire for the country and its future, to express it so directly and tangibly is going to feel very, very good.
Thanks on behalf of all of us. 
It wasn't crowded, no line, simple process, easy as pie. In our state we didn't have to guess which delegates were for which Presidential candidate, they were plainly marked. We were to choose 4 men and 4 women delegates, which was interesting. There were 4 of each for Sanders, so that was an easy choice. I too, had all my choices pre-marked on a sample form that was sent to us by the state. It took me about 10 minutes too, start to finidh, at an elementary school 3 blocks from where I live. Couldn't be easier.
Turnout didn't seem any different from other years at the same polling location. I zipped in and out with the previous machines too, before our conversion this year to paper, in about the same time. Maryland is good at elections, which I appreciate (no way to tell whether the counting part of it is tamper-free though; I assume it's ok, unless we hear indications otherwise).
There's no reason every state can't do elections this smoothly. I feel really bad that so many people have to endure the misery that some states and parties put voters through. It is intentional voter repression, pure and simple, and it should be illegal. We need some guidelines on elections.
I saw on the tube this afternoon that an MSNBC reporter happened to see O'Malley outside of the Mount Vernon (my old neighborhood as a 20-something) polling place in Baltimore City. O'Malley said that he thinks Sanders can win California! Loved that! The reporter though, was not happy.
I could co-sign your whole post. I'm 66, and this was by far the best vote of my whole life!
I saw Jane Sanders on the tube earlier in the day saying Bernie is NOT leaving the race until all of it is completed. So glad to hear that in such definite terms. Bernie supporters in every state should get their chance to vote for him.
I realize tonight is going to be tough, but that isn't a problem. We know where the rough spots are in the calendar and this is one of them. Later this evening I will most definitely be donating again, just to make a statement countering the election results in my state. In it to win it to the end, and beyond.
So proud of Bernie, and so glad he decided to run this time. And I have a hunch he may pull this off yet, before it's all said and done.
Cheers, Berners! 
And don't let tonight throw you.
