Did you vote today?

In our town they have 'new' voting machines.
Gone are the levers and pale green drapes. Frankly, I miss them.

But wait… these were not the ‘touch-pad’ voting machines I had seen in the commercials.
This was more like… the SATs.

Once I had given my name and been manually crossed off the list by pencil and ruler, I was handed a BIG sheet of paper. This paper had the names of the candidates, in large text, with an oval to each name. I was then directed to a 'voting station' which looked sorta like a cheap restroom diaper changing station. Evidently this was supposed to make me feel like no one could see my selections. The privacy concept is sorta lost by the fact that you can see over the walls and there is a constant stream of people walking back and forth directly behind those who are voting.
I was told that I would find a marker at the station and I was to 'color in' the oval next to the candidate of my choice. Hmm, a black dot test.

Then I was to take my completed ballot and cross the gymnasium to a machine that greatly resembled a small copier. There were optional, and inadequately sized manila folders provided to afford some semblance of discretion for my trip across the gym.

At the machine, I simply placed my ballot in the feeder – and it got sucked in.
Done.

How this is more advanced than the old trusty lever selection method sorta eludes me.

Oh, and I did not use a manila folder.
I was actually reading the directions on the back of my ballot as I crossed the gym, making my boldly colored ovals plainly visible.
I have reasons for my selections, and they are not a secret.