With today being election day, I decided to ponder the  occasion and reminisce about the many elections I’ve participated in.n   I PROMISE not to tell you to vote or ask for a donation for the party.

Way back when I first voted, a voter had to be twenty-one.  This meant reaching that milestone truly was an entry to adulthood.  However, even at twenty-one and in graduate school, my parents’ party choice and my brother’s political beliefs guided me.   I voted for a man who  lost hugely.

But my political stance changed as I worked and joined the world.  George’s family was in the “other” party.  My parents never forgive George (actually, they didn’t hold this against him–much) for converting me.  He didn’t.  I came to the decision to change parties on my own but I’m certain that marriage and life together are easier if political beliefs line up.    We are both somewhat stubborn and vocal.   I’d hate to live with us around election time if we didn’t agree.

As we considered the candidates in the first election after we were married, we didn’t know who to vote for in the US House race.   We didn’t like either man  so voted for the candidate we didn’t know both in protest and because we couldn’t vote for the chairman of the House Un-American Activities sub-committee or his opponent.   When the results were posted, we discovered to our HORROR that we’d voted for a member of George Wallace’s racist party.   Mortifying.  Last time we went into an election that ignorant!

I believe the right to vote and protecting that are incredibly important.  A democracy encourages voting by all its citizens.   I also believe strongly in supporting and working for the candidate of my choice.   I’ve worked phone banks dozens of times, walked the neighborhood, organized districts.   I consider myself a political junkie.  George considers me slightly wacko but even when I disagree with the winning candidate, I find the process fascinating. 

Do you have an memories–good or bad–about elections and voting?   Please share.  I’d love to know.