I’m so excited! I get to vote today. I moved several years ago and it was just before the election. They told me that since it was so close to election day that I would have to go vote at the same place I’d voted for nearly 15 years.
Unfortunately, I completely forgot the second half of what they told me. “Make sure you find out where your new voting place is being held for the next election.” What a horrible thing to forget.
So in 2008 I got busy and was BARELY able to get in line. It was so close and so late that one of the workers came out and told us, “You are the last two that will be able to vote here today.” We were so grateful that in spite of the horrible day we’d had, we actually were able to make it in time to vote.
I hadn’t missed and opportunity to vote in 34 years. Missing my chance to vote was unthinkable. We waited in line for 2 hours before we finally stepped up to vote. We were shocked to find out that our names weren’t on the list!!!
I felt like voter fraud was afoot but it wasn’t. It was simply forgetting a simple thing that I had been clearly told. Nobody was after me or trying to deny me my vote. In fact, I was still on the rolls but in another voting place. My mistake not only cost me my vote, it cost my wife her vote because I forgot.
I have waited for 2 years for the opportunity and privilege of casting my vote. In three hours the polls open. I tried to lay down and get some sleep but I’m so wired I can’t sleep. We called to find out where our new voting place is and to double check that we’re still registered to vote.
We’re still registered and we know where we can cast our vote. I’m like a child on Christmas Eve who’s so excited that they can’t sleep. That’s ok, It’s good to know I still have some patriotism in me.
If you read this I just hope that you take the opportunity to go vote today. It doesn’t matter what political persuasion you have. What matters is that you cast YOUR vote. When we all work together, even by casting votes, we all win.