Humble pede here. I went to a polling station with my unopened mail-in ballot here in Northern California, and I was told that they don't have the standard voting machines. Instead, they asked that I go to a standing desk and open the ballot, fill it out, sign and seal, and then drop it in this ballot box that everyone was dropping theirs into.

This is my first time voting. Is this the normal process? Should I be concerned with my vote not being counted? Should I find a poll place that has the machines? I didn't wear anything to suggest im a Trump supporter, but I am clearly a veteran, and people assume. Maybe I'm being paranoid. I just want to make sure I am doing my part here to keep this man in office.