Nevada is a place of excess. The state is a vast wilderness dotted with pockets of rampant civilization. Glittery, populous Las Vegas is encircled by monotonous mountains with harsh desert beyond. The valley of glitter that is the Vegas Strip, is the epicenter of branding and messaging. Surrounding the sparkling resort corridor is a pastiche of strip malls and suburban sprawl that the locals call home. Nothing to see here, quite literally. Plebeian fast food and big box outposts live to serve the consumer. To a Nevada transplant, the bland familiarity loosely bridges the gap of displacement. True assimilation requires keen observation and active participation.
One way to participate is to study local issues and politicians. Just this week Nevada held its primary elections. My local polling place is located at a school across the street. Since it was 108° at 6pm, driving seemed like the best option. Hopscotching from air conditioned space to space is a mandatory coping mechanism here. Being a lifelong ballot-caster, voting made sense. The polling volunteers, the voting machines, and the burst of civic pride all echoed memories of Illinois elections past. Most of all, the presentation of the “I Voted” sticker punctuated the successful conclusion. The sticker, like most things in Vegas, became a vehicle to deliver a commercial message. But really, on an “I Voted” sticker? Do the voting locals need to be wowed by a patriotic version of the Strip? A version complete with the Statue of Liberty- and not the real one, but the one that sits outside New York New York, the corny hotel/casino. Welcome to Las Vegas, citizens. Whether you’re a swing voter or a sexy swinger, Vegas and the Universe provides.
