Sunday, November 10, 2013

Voting Rights




The most interesting incident Tuesday morning was my walking to a building to enter a booth and push levers on a voting machine. I have never understood why anyone passes up that bargain. It doesn't cost a cent, and for that couple of minutes you're the star of the show, with top billing. It's the only way that really counts for you to say I'm it, I'm the one that decides what's going to happen and who's going to make it happen. It's the only time I feel really important and know I have a right to.
  Rex Stout  A Family Affair

So Tuesday was Election Day.  I know that for some of you folks out there, particularly in the states of New Jersey and Virginia and the City of New York, it was a huge event, but where I live in Ohio there was nothing much on the ballot. Sure, city council races, but all those results were decided in the primary, when the Democratic Party candidates were chosen.  School board races and court judges were about as contentious as things got.  But there were bond renewals on the ballot for the Parks service, and also for out local Zoo, which along with the libraries and public transit, rank high among the ways I like to see my tax dollars spent.

These days of course there's all sorts of options for voting, absentee ballots, early voting. But I like to go to the polls on election day. As the above quote from Mr. Stout points out, Election Day is the one chance the average citizen has of feeling involved in the running of the country. So I like to vote in person, on Election Day.

When my husband arrived at the school gym it was nearly deserted.  I remember standing in line, outdoors, as hundreds of people waited to vote in November of 2008. We had our children with us that night, wanting them to see democracy taking place. This afternoon one was at school and the other away at college, and there was no waiting. We produced our ID's and were handed our ballots.

It only took a minute or two to fill in the dots and turn in our ballots. They handed us stickers, proclaiming that we had in fact voted and we were done and back home in 10 minutes.

 Yet in some ways this was a greater event than a presidential election--not a moment of historical importance perhaps, but a moment of real participation in what goes on in the community.  One of our neighboring communities had a levy pass by one vote.  Just imagine, one person decides not to bother coming and everything changes.

Oh and in case you were wondering, the Zoo and the Parks made out just fine. 




I am linking up to the I Don't Like Mondays Blog Hop at elleroy was here.
It's the perfect way to start the week.


9 comments:

  1. There is just this great feeling that your ideas count for something when you vote. I remember my first vote...felt great!

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    1. It does, doesn't it? I will never forget our local state senator lecturing at our high school and he mentioned how disappointed he was that so few young people voted. (this was not long after the voting age was lowered to 18) He told us how much struggle there had been for the various groups to get the right to vote, and we shouldn't let them down. It has kind of stuck with me ever since.

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  2. It's weird because you know that so many people don't vote but complain constantly about issues on both sides of arguments. Yet, as we recognize Veterans Day, you realize that's what makes America special, you have the freedom to do both - be smart, involved, and an active voter AND apathetic, allergic to the voting booth, and whiny.

    At least we voted.

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    1. Absolutely right Lance, if everyone showed up it wouldn't mean nearly as much, would it? And yes, the smart and involved have to stay that way to protect themselves from the apathetic and whiny.

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  3. Yes, it was a big deal here and just as I thought, they voted in that donut scarfing ass clown again. *sigh*

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    1. I felt really bad for you all, and I think the only way to improve your situation is going to be to the detriment of the rest of us. :(

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  4. I always try to tell people that think "my vote doesn't matter," that yes in presidential elections it can definitely feel that way, but that isn't the only time we vote. In the smaller elections every single vote matters. Glad your Zoo and the Parks came out good!

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    1. Thank you Heather. Even in presidential elections it can matter. I like to remind people that the 2000 elections came down to 200 disputed ballots in Florida. But i do think that when a local issue or candidate goes our way we have more of a sense of accomplishment.

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  5. Congratulations! The journey is indeed more important than the destination: it's what sustains the latter. And to be able to veer and head humanity into such a course or two is the very essence of civilization itself; where one can break down a design instead of merely upholding it.

    Christian @ League of Woman Voters

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