Scott and I went to vote EARLY this morning. We got to the old folks home at 5:45am and stood in a long line outside in the dark and chilly air for about 40 minutes. Then we got inside the old folks home and waited for another 25 minutes, while old folks watched us. Our polling place had ONE electronic voting machine (that I wasn't even given the option of using) and 5 or 6 little stand-up booths (not the kind that you actually go in to, but the little desk-looking ones). On the other side of the room were 3 round tables and one long table - no folding screens or any of that business. You literally had to stand/sit next to other people and watch each other fill out the ballot. It was a little frustrating. Besides that, when we got into the room, everything turned into a giant cluster of chaos. The signs they had for what each line was were low and small, so I couldn't see them well. What I THOUGHT was the I - M line (my registration is under K) ended up being the D-H line because all of the lines were sort of skewed to the side. A nice man next to me in the REAL I - M line allowed me to cut in front of him. We were out of there right around 7am.
I have a vague memory of going to the polls with my mom one year - I don't remember which election it was, probably for Reagan's 2nd term or George Bush's first term. If I remember correctly, I think they were doing a "kids election" sort of thing that year. Is this true, Mom? Do you remember that? I remember going to the Village Hall with you and while you went to the little booth to do your ballot, I was given a ballot of my own and a crayon or pencil or something, and I got to fill out my "ballot" and turn it in and get a sticker. It's quite possible that I'm merging two different memories - we may have done the kids election at school or something. In any case, I do remember going to the polls with my mom and getting a loose explanation of why she was voting, how it worked, etc.
Now I'm a grown-up and I vote for real, on my own. I know that my vote counts, but I'm not so convinced that my vote makes a difference. I don't know if that makes sense... I'm not convinced that either of the candidates will really make the difference that our country needs. I don't think any one leader can make that difference - I think the people of this country need to make up their minds to be kinder to each other and to our planet. Everyone is waiting for Obama or McCain to "Make Change", but really, why are we relying on them? Why can't we, as a people, do what we can individually to make the change ourselves?
Mostly I was pleased to see a proposition on the Kansas City ballot that would require the electric companies to start utilizing more renewable energy, and while they only have to be at 2% by 2010, it is supposed to increase to something like 15% by 2020. I think it could be done faster than that, and SHOULD be done faster than that, but at least they are putting it into action. I don't think that should be something we vote on - I think it ought to be something the privately-owned electric companies WANT to do without being told to (sort of how Scott feels about me emptying the dishwasher). Scott has an aunt and uncle in Rock Port, MO, and their whole town is wind-powered. Granted, it's a much smaller town than Kansas City, but I think it's amazing that they took the initiative to do what they could for cleaner energy in their town.
I've never really had any interest in, or deep understanding of politics. I still don't. But, despite my lack of interest, it's still exciting to know that there will be new people in charge, and that hopefully, maybe, possibly, things will start moving in a different direction. A better direction. A direction that doesn't make rules to govern my uterus, but allows women to make the choices that are appropriate for their own lives. A direction that doesn't define "marriage" as being between "One Man and One Woman", but between two people in love, regardless of their gender. A direction that helps our sick planet start to get better, rather than brushing the warning signs of worse things to come under the rug.