104. Tomorrow, visit your polling place.

Dottie Priddy's garage, the Louisville Firehouse at Winter and Rubel, Camp Taylor Elementary, the old Camp Taylor Firehouse, Durrett High School, the old Camp Taylor Firehouse again, Zion United Church of Christ, Liberty High School, Zion United Church of Christ again, the AmVets Post on S. Shelby Street, the Louisville Firehouse at Preston and Ormsby, and tomorrow for the first time, the Phoenix Place Apartments Clubhouse.

Those are, in order, the places where I have had the honor and privelege of casting my ballots, having my say as best I can, in the people and ideals who represent me at every level of government, from the local school board, to the local, state, and federal levels of the legislative and executive branches, as well as the state branch of the judicial system; additionally, over the years there have been several attempts to amend the Constitution of the Commonwealth, first approved and enacted in 1891, all of which require a Yes or No vote on the ballot, on nearly all of which I have cast a No vote. I cast just over a majority of those ballots at the old Camp Taylor Firehouse at the corner of Lincoln and Sherman avenues, in precinct H-121 which I called home for about eighteen of my nearly thirty years of voting. The vote cast at Durrett High School wasn't a Primary or General Election, but rather the 1984 Presidential Caucus, the only one of its kind in my voting lifetime. In that race, I voted for Jesse Jackson, who won the Third Congressional District's delegates for the 1984 Democratic Nomination. The other major contenders were Gary Hart and Walter Mondale, the latter going on to serve as the Party's nominee against Ronald Reagan in November.

As I said above, tomorrow will take me to a new poll for a new election, one which has attracted very little attention, even up to and including this weekend, as I found out by knocking on a few doors in support of the candidates I am supporting in tomorrow's event, not technically an election, but a Nominating Process. Elections are held in November. Tomorrow evening's tally may prompt, for the first time in Kentucky's history, a Run-Off Primary for the top slate of offices, assuming none of the state's nine slates for governor and lieutenant governor convince at least 40% of the voters in their respective Parties to choose them over the other candidates. For the Democrats, the leaders appear to be Steve Beshear, Bruce Lunsford, and Steve Henry (who I am supporting), with a large chunk of voters allegedly still undecided (or more likely uninterested). The Republican Party's titular leader, Governor Ernest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher, of Lexington (and originally of Mount Sterling in Montgomery County) is opposed by former Congresswoman Anne Northup of Louisville (former due to the efforts of a large body of volunteers who worked endless hours to help change the community and the country last November by electing John Yarmuth), and racecar owner/driver and multi-millionaire entrepreneur Billy Harper, of Paducah. A Run-Off appears likely for the Democrats; the Dark Side may avoid one as Fletcher has been steadily and handily leading in the polls. The Run-Off can also be avoided if two candidates get to 40%, with the higher vote-getter advancing to November. Several polls indicate both Fletcher and Northup may top the 40% mark. There are also down-ballot races and in those I am particularly supporting MaDonna White in her race for Secretary of State.

Someday I will write about the process of precinct drawing, an art and science I have participated in locally a few times, one which has advocates and adversaries, but not today. And some of you have commented to me, either by a posting here at the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606, or in emails, or in person, that my posting has become spotty, or at least less regular than they had hoped, and for that matter, than I had planned. I plead guilty to the charges. I have been lulled onto a plateau, one on which I have made myself comfortable. I make no promises toward reform, but will write again when appropriately inspired and allowed the time. It may be later today, or not until Friday. Please do keep reading though, and please, add your comments as you are inspired.

Thanks.

*****

Unrelated. Today, May 21, is not the most popular birthday according to statistics. I do not know exactly where it falls among the 366 possible days a person can be born. I know the least common date of birth for Americans is tomorrow, May 22. It seems that mid-August apparently yields little in the way of procreation. It may stand to reason that today, as it is one day off from tomorrow, is another least popular day - again I don't know. What I do know is this. Today marks the birthday of six of my friends, more than any other day of the year. They are Jerry Spears, Jim Wayne, Gary Platt, Migael Dickerson, Keith Dickerson, and Casy Risinger. Happy Birthday to each of you. The most popular birthday, according to statistics, is October 5th, which happens to fall 274 days from New Year's Eve. I do not know anyone with this birthday.