Adventures in Voting: A member’s report from Peace Corps Guyana

LWVSPA member, Caroline Weintraub, is currently a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Guyana. Getting her ballot back to Pinellas County was more than a typical post office errand. 

“My mom mailed my vote-by-mail ballot to my Guyana address in Lovely Lass Village. Once I completed it, I flagged down a car for hire for a 90-minute drive to Georgetown, the capital. As is typical here, we picked up and dropped off other random passengers en route. Once at Peace Corps headquarters, I was able to use the diplomatic pouch service via the U.S. Embassy in the hopes the ballot makes it stateside in time for the election. Then I journeyed back to the village. Nearly my whole day dedicated to voting.”

As of October 28, Caroline’s ballot had not been received by the Pinellas Supervisor of Elections, but with several days to go before Election Day, Caroline was optimistic her vote would arrive and be counted. [Check your ballot status here.]

Caroline is proud she did what she could to get that ballot in: “Although it required a few extra steps, I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in our elections even from outside the United States.” 

Sounding like the good League member that she is, Caroline added, “Voting is important to me, as both a privilege and a responsibility. I care about who is governing at all levels and the decisions they make on our behalf. Serving in the Peace Corps has deepened my appreciation for public service and the role that leadership plays in people’s lives.” 

Caroline with her students at No. 29 Primary. Caroline is a literacy specialist.