After moving from Florida, where "modern" voting machine innovations caused nothing but havoc in a state that provided Republicans with a chance to steal the presidency in 2000, I was delighted with my first experience today in Seattle.

It was a delight casting my initial vote in Seattle for one basic reason; they did it the tried and true old-fashioned way and as a result there will be no problem with paper trails and the like or vanishing would-be votes.

My voting precinct was sandwiched between Key Arena, where I watch our local Sonics play pro basketball, and the Seattle Repertory Company, which has become widely renowned for featuring the plays of Seattle's great dramatist, the recently deceased August Wilson.

Having had some bitter experiences with the new touch screen voting process while living in Fort Lauderdale, an innovation that seems to serve no legitimate purpose and is completely unnecessary, it was a delight to walk over to a courteous poll worker, who provided me with a welcome piece of information.