Election Day

I love Election Day. It's not that the political campaigning (robocalls, ugly street signs and TV ads) will be coming to an end, although that is an added bonus. It's not even about winning or losing. It's the vote that I love. I know people who don't vote for whatever reason: "I'm not political," or "I don't want to be called for jury duty," or "I don't have time to be an informed voter," or "What is one vote, anyway?." But I have a brother in Afghanistan who is away from his family at least a year at a time doing difficult work in a difficult environment so this democracy can stand. The least I can do is vote.

My mom is an election worker and has been for as long as I can remember. She is always there to check people in at their small precinct and give them a ballot. One year tornados and thunderstorms were rolling through the area and the polls never closed. Neighbors checked in on the election workers all day, bringing them flashlights and food to keep the polls open so everyone would have a chance to cast their ballot.

Voting in the United States is a graceful way to make our voices heard. Yes, marching in the street, blogging, tweeting, mailing letters all work, too. As communication channels go, the vote--the opportunity to vote, the right to vote, even the messy campaigning--is as eloquent as they get.