Relaxing in Alexandria

After arriving late on Friday night (having travelled from Birmingham to Amsterdam to Detroit to Washington)  - I spent a relaxing day on Saturday. Just befor lunch I went to the market in Alexandria. You'd think that there's an election on! Both the Democrats and Republicans had street stalls. Petitions are being signed; stickers handed out; and questions answered. Other candidates - for the city council, have their stalls and the whole city is covered with street signs.

Early voting started this week in Virginia - and I popped round to the Central Election for Alexandria - where short queues had formed. One was to povide the required identication documents, the other was to vote. Details of all the candidates and offices were posted on notices. Outside the local Democrats handed me a "sample ballot paper", which highlighted who the party candidates were - and there are a lot of offices to be filled - from the President; to the Senate; the House of Representatives; and the city council. While candidates for the latter have party affiliations, this isn't stated on the ballot paper.

In the afternoon I went for a walk around the local neighbourhood (Stratford Landing), Lots of yard signs are already up. My hosts received a few phonecalls from the political parties and their supporters. Tonight I've been flicking through the TV channels - it's going to be impossible to ignore the fact that there is an election on!