"Electronic or paper?" the woman behind the counter asked. I chose electronic, curious to see how the system worked. In hindsight, maybe I should have chosen paper. You never know when those ballots will have to be recounted.

Although my primary absentee ballot arrived in Mali in time (sort of), and my husband's general election absentee ballot arrived in time, my general election absentee ballot did not arrive in time. Luckily I am in the DC area and DC lets you vote up to 14 days before the election.

During today's lunch hour, there was a line at the Board of Elections. It looked long but moved quickly, and people were patient, reading or tapping on their Blackberries. Someone wondered aloud if she would need photo ID, and someone else with a booklet on the electoral process looked up the answer for her. (No, only "certain first-time voters" need photo ID.)

On my ballot request form I checked that I would not be in town on election day, but it wasn't clear that you had to check anything at all in order to vote early.

The electronic system was easy to use, a touch screen with big buttons for going forward and back and reviewing your answers. Before I cast my ballot, the system reminded me that I had not made selections for all the elections, and asked if I was sure I wanted to finish. (I don't know anything about, or feel I have a stake in, the DC Board of Education race. I did vote for one "shadow" member of the Congressional delegation and our non-voting House Representative. One of my choices was from the Statehood party; I like to let my feelings be known on that issue, even if the candidate is unlikely to win.)

- CNN.com: Gone, but not forgotten: Americans abroad have registered in record numbers.
- The Guardian Unlimited: Why Africa roots for Kerry.