"What I’ve discovered is that if people haven’t voted in four years, their names have been released from the book," said Carla D. Packer, the sixtysomething site coordinator at the polling place at Hayden Hall, the New York University dorm on Washington Square Park. "Sam Shepard was here with Jessica Lange and he apparently just re-registered. He got his notice to register to vote here, but his name wasn’t in the book and when I went out to speak with him I discovered he hadn’t voted in four years. And one year ago, I had the same problem with [Ms. Lange] and I had to give her a provisional ballot."
Ms. Packer also said that former Mayor Ed Koch and MSNBC legal analyst Dan Abrams usually vote at her polling place towards the end of the day, along with "a couple people from soaps who I don’t know."
Austin Scarlett, the Project Runway Season One contestant who now designs bridalwear, was voting at Hayden. He was instantly recognizable, and perfectly put together, in navy pinstriped pants, brown shoes, gray suit jacket, blue patterned ascot, brown bowler hat, and vintage brown glasses.
"I love Michelle Obama‘s style," Mr. Scarlett said. "She’s definitely, I think, closely modeling herself on Jackie O, which I think works for her. Cindy McCain sort of has this evil queen beauty about her that is intriguing. She’s always composed and she’s definitely a well-dressed and chic lady."
Does vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin have style? "No, the hair is just bad," said Mr. Scarlett. "Even with the hundreds of thousands of dollars she’s spending, she’s still just a little on the frumpy side. And, you know, when you’re going for an international role that you’re gonna fill, you really need to sort of dress the part of a world class leader and she’s not that."
And what about Mr. Obama? "Well, Barack, he’s so handsome," said Mr. Scarlett. "I’d like to see him in something in a little more fitted, a little more streamlined, while still keeping the classic, conservative look that you have to do."
On Mr. McCain, Mr. Scarlett was emphatic: "I would just keep him in his uniform!"
