Summit votes.

2008-11-06 14:54:07.000 – Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist

I, or should I say, we voted!

If you are an avid reader of our comments, you are probably aware that we do our shift changes on Wednesdays. One group of observers, interns and volunteers comes up for a week on while the other group heads down. In the summer, it is fairly easy to go up and down the mountain as the need arises. But since we are in what are considered winter months (although the last couple of days you wouldn’t think it as it is in the 40s with barely any snow) the crew that comes up on a Wednesday stays up until the following Wednesday barring any major emergencies. So, with the presidential election occurring on a Tuesday, a question has been raised by a few people (via email) on how the summit staff voted.

The staff that was down and off for the week (which was our shift of three), we either walked to the closest community center (me), drove to the closest high school (Brian) or voted absentee for being out of state (Mike). But for the shift that was up and working for the week, they did not have the luxury of voting at their closest polling station. Instead, they all had to plan ahead and vote using an envelope and a 42 cent stamp. From what I gathered in passing, the five on the other shift voted absentee prior to coming up on October 29, 2008.

So of the five current observers, and three interns employed here on the summit, all eight of us made our voices heard on November fourth. Since I do not discuss politics, I have no idea (apart from myself) who any of us voted for, what party/issue any of us favored, if we are happy/sad for who/what won/lost. So please respect our opinions/privacy and do not flood our inbox with inquires on who/what we voted for or our feelings towards the outcome. No matter who is in office locally or nationally, our focus remains the same: to observe the weather and forecast atop the northeast’s highest point.

Ryan Knapp,  Staff Meteorologist