Rock the Vote

Election Day!! Few things in life make me as excited as going to vote. Eighteen for me was not a milestone because I could legally buy cigarettes or enlist in the Army or because I technically became an "adult." Finally, finally, I could go in the little booth and pick my own choices. Never have my choices ever mattered, in fact I don't think anyone I've voted for has ever won a major race, but still I tried, I made the valiant effort. Today, hopefully, that will all change.

I don't know if there's much electing going on in the rest of the country, but here in Virginia, where my vote has rested since last year in the hope's of it actually counting, we've got a really tight governor's race - as in polls showing a 1% difference in candidates. So today I did something I don't do very lightly - I got up early. I got up early not under the guise of first one to the poll wins but because if I didn't do it this morning, I wouldn't have time to do it. There are a number of things like that on a daily basis - laudry, dishes, grocery store, picking up X from the store - all very important things that I don't get to do because of lack of time in the day, and this generally doesn't bother me very much. But not getting to vote, that would really make me upset, thus I voluntarily decided to get up a 1/2 hour earlier just to ensure I made it to the polls.

In Georgia there was a pretty sophisticated computer voting mechanism that was kind of fun to do. In Virginia there's this bizarre giant screen/canvas type thing where you punch the button and a green light appears next to the candidate you selected. It looks so shady - I feel certain something like this was responsible for all those damn hanging chads. I made my choices - and then I just stood there. Double-checking, triple-checking...feeling certain the Republicans had rigged it and I was being tricked. It's humorous how seriously I take the process, but on the other hand it's essential to democracy that I am not a moron and actually pick who I mean to pick.

Tonight is when the real fun begins. I haven't yet looked for exit-polling numbers but I feel certain while I'm at the gym tonight there will be plenty on tv to keep me entertained. It won't be as exciting as a presidential debate, but if my candidate wins, it will be the first time my vote actually mattered. And that's pretty cool.