I messed up...

...I really, really did. *Somehow* I got it into my head that to be able to vote in an election in New York State, one had to register (or update one's registration) at least 25 days (only 25 days!) before the election. Why oh why did I think that the New York bureaucracy could adjust its records in such a short amount of time?

I've been a registered voter since 1996, when I used my vote in Maryland to help elect Bill Clinton into his second term. At the time I was a registered Democrat. A few years later, after I had been a New York resident for a couple years and had grown skeptical of all established political parties, I switched my party affiliation to None. I was Independent and proud of it.

Proud, yes, but also stupid. New York is such an overwhelmingly Democratic-with-a-capital-D state and city that almost all elections are basically determined at the primary level, when the Democratic candidate is chosen. Since one must be affiliated with a party to vote in New York primary elections, I was essentially giving up a big part of my ability to determine our elected leaders.
For this reason, I've considered changing my party affiliation back to Democratic many times over the past several years, but it took this current Presidential election for me to finally say, "it's time." This Democratic race is intense!

I thought I'd take the opportunity to adjust my party affiliation at the same time I registered my new address change (I moved this past Fall). So...I just recently got my updated registration into the Board of Elections this week, thinking I had made it in time...only to learn that October 12, 2007 was the deadline for changing party affiliation for our February 5, 2008 primary election. HOW did I miss this piece of information???
Why oh why can I not live in South Dakota or even West Virginia, where primary elections are being held on June 3, 2008 and May 13, 2008, respectively? Then I might still have time to make the necessary changes...but then I'd also live in South Dakota or West Virginia, so...

I am just supremely disappointed in myself right now. I'm also jealous of the Iowa caucusers, who are able to register and/or change party affiliation right up to the day of the caucus. Argh.

At least I can still vote in the general election this November.