The 2008 Elections From Mali

Election Day was something special even here in Mali. Everyone at the Union of Artisans where I go to work every day asked me about it and asked about Obama in particular. The whole world was watching that night. When I went to the post office the day after the elections the postal worker said he came into the office there and watched the elections on the internet.

I was invited over to a Malian’s, Sadio Sogoba, who is a friend of mine and has CNN English. We had a great dinner of roasted chicken, salad, and fries. There were three Peace Corps Volunteers and we bought brownies and iced coffee. My Malian Friend Sadio has been to the states so he knew what I meant when I said it was like going to Starbucks for after dinner coffee.

We all napped a little and watched the TV a lot. I was fortunate that I was up for both McCain’s and Obama’s speeches. When I saw Jessie Jackson in the audience during Obama’s speech crying I started to cry too.

And as far as I know I did vote in this historical election. It all started before I even left the Untied States. I called King County in Washington State to tell them of my plans of serving in the Peace Corps in Mali. They asked for my address of residency and my address in Mali. The women never mentioned the possibility of voting via email or fax as I shared my concerns of the ballet getting here in time to vote and getting it returned in time.

A representative from the US Embassy came out and went through the states from A to W. I learned that I could go on the Washington State Department of the Secretary of State to register to vote via email. All I needed was internet service, my address of residency and my driver’s license number and expiration date. This sounded easy since Tubaniso the Peace Corps Mali’s training center had wireless internet and I had my computer.

During the first try the internet connection spent the whole time trying to bring up the page where I could register on line. Not being a patient person nor a passive person I emailed the email on the home page of the Secretary of State’s website to let them know I was having problems. In a few days I received a pleasant reply from the one-line tech help that they could not find any problems with the website. “Try again,” the email said. There were a couple of problems with this one I did not have unlimited access to internet in my homestay village and second I was in classes six days a week but I did try several other times.

Next I emailed Steve Reed the Secretary of State to let him know the problems I was having. I used the email on the website and the email came back saying it was undeliverable. The time was getting short as the Election Day was fast approaching. Next I emailed Mr. Reed at his personal Washington State email and cc’d to the US Embassy here in Mali. A week went by and response.

Talking to my sister on the internet I learned that she had contacted King County who I had also emailed and they knew of my situation. She also contacted Senator Cantwell from Washington to see what could be done about me voting. She heard nothing back but a thank you and she would look into it.

October 26^th I got a call from the Peace Corps Office in Bamako that they had received my ballot and three other volunteer’s ballots out in my area. I was supposed to pick up the ballot’s at the bus station. One of the other volunteers was in Koutiala and she waited with me as I filled out my ballot, then she caught a “bus” form her site about 44 kilometers north of here where the other volunteers were and their ballots were to get on public transport for Bamako the next day. Once the Peace Corps office received the ballots they would be sent out DHL to the Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington DC then put in the mail. I figured that would take up to November 2, 2008. The ballots just needed to post marked on Election Day so things looked like my ballot would be counted.