Election Day- Voting and other stuff

You know what I don't understand. Or maybe I understand too well. When I go in to vote, I sign in with my district. I sign my name next to the electronic signature already printed there. Fine, good. Then I am made to sign another slip that is perforated from a top part of the slip, both with a number on it. Today I was 96. Then I am given the lower part of the slip with just the number on it and I stand and wait for the polling booth. Before I enter the booth, I must hand over my number to the curmudgeon, er, man standing between the two booths, who takes it and places it next to the machine I enter.
It seems very much as though my vote can be tracked, no? Something's fishy. I don't get why I have to sign a slip with a number associated to my name and then hand it to the polling dude at the exact moment of my vote.
Anyhoo, I voted today and loved it. No lines, no problems, though I did send a text message while waiting for Kim and an old lady yelled at me, "Is that a TELEPHONE?!! There's a sign, no TELEphones" (her emphasis). Technically, I wasn't using it in the capacity of the telephone, but rather than split hairs, I continued my text message as I left the gym. When I reached the door, I finished and turned right back around.

Then I picked up Graybear and saw his school pics....awhhh. It made my day. Look how tall he is in the class photo- it looks like everyone else is sitting in that row. He's a good boy.