The solemn American tradition of exercising the right to vote was not very solemn in Miami this weekend.

We at Reaganista.com visited one of several countywide polling locations in Southeast Florida’s Miami-Dade County on the last day of early voting.  As has been widely reported by the media, the lines were several hours long–and exhausting. Several hundred stood patiently chatting with candidates and campaign volunteers, and others studied sample ballots so they would be prepared to get through the historically-long Florida ballot as quickly as possible once at the voting booth.

This was all made difficult, however, with the Obama campaign’s decision to turn the early voting location into a bizarre street carnival. A DJ was on site blaring salsa and merengue, as well as a South American folklore troupe beating drums and dancing–in the early voting parking lot’s right-of-way.

Some no doubt enjoyed the entertainment, but for many uncommitted voters interested in meeting local candidates, studying sample ballots, and learning about the various amendments and races they were about to vote on, it was an annoyance, which was very evident.  The group also made it difficult for frustrated drivers to make their way through the lot to find parking spots.  One elderly Cuban lady named Olga who claims she’s voted in every election since 1976 said she had never seen anything like this in all her years of voting. She called it “tremenda chusmería.”

To me it felt more like a street festival in Tegucigalpa than a voting precinct in the United States.

I don’t think the Obama campaign did itself any favors among undecided voters at this early voting location, but that’s just based on what I observed.

Here is the video:

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