To: All
From: Diane
Did anyone out there have problems with OCD while they were voting? I had a horrible time in the voting booth, obsessing over punching out the wrong name or voting the wrong way on a referendum. There was one measure that I felt very strongly about. I stared at that measure for what seemed like minutes before I punched the ballot. Then I punched it thirty-one times (I do everything in odd numbers). When I took the ballot out of the machine, I panicked, thinking I had punched the wrong thing, but I managed to drop it in the box and get in my car. As soon as I got in my car I panicked again and wondered how I could retrieve my ballot and check to see that I had punched the right place. Knowing that retrieving the ballot was impossible, I was able to go to work, but I continued to worry about it all day. Did anybody out there have similar problems on election day?To: Diane
From: Barbara
When I walked away after voting, I did momentarily think that maybe I had pulled the wrong levers, but then I was able to reassure myself that it was fine. I know what you mean about staring. I do that, too. This weekend I seem a bit better. I'm on Zoloft, 150 mg/day, and I think maybe it's starting to have an effect.To: Diane
From: Cindy
I had almost the same problem voting as you did. Except I almost didn't vote at all because I was convinced that I would punch the wrong holes in my ballot. I finally went in, got my ballot, and started punching holes, dozens of times! I obsessed for a short time after. Thank God it is over!
[Ed.: Such confused voters were to receive much wider attention eight years later.]
