So I voted early this year! Last Wednesday I made my way to the registrar’s office after dropping Chance at preschool. I couldn’t quite figure how I’d manage to get to the polls in time on election day, or if I got there in time I’d probably have to wait for hours – and you know, really, why add one more person to the zoo? – so I went early to beat the crowds. Sort of. I marked my ballot at home and after circling the parking lot a few times I got in a took a number. (A number! Genius!) I was told the wait would be about 25 minutes, which was perfect despite the crappy parking. Well, somehow I came at the weird glitchy part of the day because 45 minutes later my number wasn’t anywhere close and I had to soon leave to pick up Chance. Oops.
Well, I told one of the attendants that I had to leave and could I hold on to my number just in case I got back in time? She said yes (she was quite nice about it actually), and I did a loop drive to Chance’s preschool and back again. I knew it was nuts letting him run around wild-like but I really wanted to vote! I told him all about voting for our president (but I didn’t tell him for whom because he has to make up his own mind). When we arrived back at the registrar’s office my number had long long passed already, however, Nice Registrar Lady let me go anyway.
So I voted! Felt quite on top of the world all day, too (despite the Prop 8 blues). And I only had to stop and reign in Chance about 20 times during the process. Note: this kid will flirt with anyone; government office workers or burly biker men trying to vote, it doesn’t seem to matter. Quite bipartisan, this kid.
While I was at the registrar’s office (and before I picked up Chance) I chatted with a woman – older, white, retired physician – who was currently living in India. She flew all the way home just to vote, because as she said, “This is an important one.”
You betcha this is an important one. And I could tell, even separated by generations, she felt just as elated to participate as I did.
I wish you all that same elation. Get out there and vote! It’ll make you feel great.
– the weirdgirl
I want to take the bit about the woman who flew here from India to vote, copy it, and email it to my friend, who insisted today that there was no point in voting, that it didn’t matter. Seriously! It matters enough for someone to fly thousands of miles!!
That woman coming all the way from India just to vote is amazing. If someone local doesn’t go vote, they have no right to complain if they’re not happy with the outcome.
I voted last week absentee but I am on pins and needles today! The woman you ran into sums it up perfectly and I wish more Americans felt their vote was important.
Indeed it did.
I thought that woman was pretty amazing myself. Her absentee ballot never came so she hopped on a plane to come vote. She had just got in the night before. Cool, huh?