Vote, Part II
“Momma, are you voting today?”
“You bet I am,” I say. I’m trying to ram her foot into her little brown boots. Renny’s helping out by thumping, repeatedly, on the toe.
“Because you want Obama to win?”
“I do want Obama to win,” I say. “But I think he’s going to win whether I go or not, and I know he will win Massachusetts either way.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re Pinko Commie Bastards, honey, that’s just how it goes. We elect Democrats nationally and Republicans at home. We’ve done it for hundreds of years.”
No, that’s not right.
“Because Massachusetts is a very liberal state. And Obama is liberal. States like Idaho, Texas and South Carolina are very conservative, and McCain will win those.”
“Are there states where they don’t know who is going to win?”
“Oh, yes. Florida, Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina … these states are very much in question and every vote will count there. But every vote counts everywhere, Mare. You don’t vote because you think your vote is the most important one. You vote because you have the right to vote, the obligation to.”
Her freaking foot is not going into this boot. I am nowhere near pregnant enough to justify how heavily I am breathing trying to jam it in there.
“Oh, duh, Mare, you need to unzip it all the way.” Doodle goes back to hammering helpfully on the toe and now we’ve got Mare’s feet in. I ram jackets at them and we run for the Looser Cruiser.
“Are there places where people can’t vote?”
“You know, it was only in 1965 — that’s ten years before I was born — that African Americans were guaranteed the right to vote in this country? Can you imagine being black — or a woman before 1920 — and knowing that the candidates don’t care about you because you can’t vote? Every four years we get to make the president nervous. That’s a very important job and it only works if you show up. So you have to vote, even if your state is already decided.”
After I drop them off, I make my way to the polling place. It is an astonishing sight, really. We’re so used to it, but there is nothing at all ordinary about it. Traffic is backed up for a couple of blocks, cops are standing in the intersection, and everyone is waiting very politely. Not at all Massachusettsian of us.
People are holding signs and waving and I honk and wave at them all because I think anyone who cares enough to hold a sign on an election day is a good American.
Within a hundred yards of the parking lot, a sign, “NO CAMPAIGN LITERATURE BEYOND THIS POINT.” You can campaign, but you can’t threaten. Voters have a right to make their way to the booth without talking to anyone.
I park, pick up my Philippa Gregory bodice-ripper and my driver’s license, and walk up to the school.
I brought my book because I expected the lines to be long, but things are moving unbelievably quickly and the wait is negligable. I pop into a booth with my ballot and mark my choices. Yes to Obama. No to dog racing. No to eliminating the state income tax. (Taxes? Bad. Schools, roads and healthcare, however? UM … kind of important.) Yes to decriminalizing under an ounce of pot. (Puhlease … make it a misdemeanor and force drug counseling. That’s a lot more effective than five years probation for a joint.)
I slip my ballot into the machine, and that’s it. I’ve voted.
Somehow, I feel weepy. I know it’s the hormones. But it’s also because for the first seven years of married life my husband was a Marine. I’ve now known several people who’ve given their lives in the name of the Constitution that allows me to vote. My own life has been radically impacted by our choice to serve. The result of that service is this room where everyone in my town comes to cast a ballot. Where cops stand quietly by the door and I don’t have to fear anyone’s intimidating me or even asking me what I’m voting for.
We take it for granted but there is nothing at all ordinary about it. It is the greatest privilege and freedom that we have.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I loved going to my local school to vote. You felt such comraderie with the other people lined up. “Hey, you care enough about this country to vote too” was an instant bond. And then you got to proudly wear your “I Voted” sticker all day. You felt so patriotic. Unfortunately, my county has switched to mail in ballots. So now I try to get that same feeling when I slip my ballot into the blue mail box. It is not the same.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
yay for voting. it felt good to do it today. i’d forgotten how nice it feels to do vote. it just feels … good.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
“We’re so used to it, but there is nothing at all ordinary about it.”
You are so right! There is nothing ordinary about it. It is one of the things that makes America America! What an awesome day!
November 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Nope - it isn’t the hormones. Or if it is then I have a problem, cause when I voted up here in Canada a few weeks ago, it felt so good that I teared up a bit. Course, I almost never get the person I vote for elected, but it is still freakin awesome to know that I had the opportunity to affect history.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
You are AMAZING with words…maybe YOU should run for office. I mean if you can tame the Roodle, have philosophical conversations with Mare AND be pregnant, then DC would have nothing on you!!
Look out world here comes Damomma! You could even put Moonbeam and Sunbeam in the Cabinet and REALLY get things done..
Well said…well said!
November 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Explained why we should vote perfectly. Now to explain not to my three young children why Mama is so passionate about voting, but to my 43 year old husband why it is.
Vote or Shut up about who is in office
My name is Angelia and I approve this message even if Liz don’t
November 4th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I do miss the cameraderie of the one-day-vote-everyone-all-together thing, but in Oregon we have sooooo many (idiotic) initiatives on the ballot that it took me an hour and a half to read all the ballot measure texts, arguments pro/con, etc., and decide how to vote.
Unless I brought a cheat-sheet with me to the voting booth, I wouldn’t be able to remember them since they all have ridiculous Orwellian titles.
We get our cameraderie by wearing blue all day.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Once again, lovely post.
I took the crazy threesome of munchkins with me today to vote because not only have we been so invested in the campaign, but because it’s the last time in our state that we’ll have polling booths instead of mail-in ballots. I love the community aspect of seeing all your neighbors at the polling place (regardless of who or what you’re voting for) and feeling like we’re making our voices heard, hopefully making a difference… I’ll seriously miss the voting booths.
Also, I’m so totally addicted to Phillipa Gregory bodice rippers… Glad to hear someone else is, too.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I agree with you on voting. And I wore my DH’s USMC sweats, and thought of my son’s return to Iraq in a mere 14 days as I cast my vote.
November 4th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Pity you couldn’t take the girls with you…one of my fond childhood memories is of going with my parents. And I recently read that this is one of the factors that causes people to vote when they are old enough…that shared experience and the lesson that ‘this is important.’
DD couldn’t get to the polls before school and her 5-year-old CRIED about it…so she promised to wait and vote after she picks him up after school Considering the lines in LA, she’d better bring serious snacks.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
You’re definitely not the only one who teared up. I was so proud to bring my son into the voting booth with me for the first time. He peered over my shoulder from his carrier and watched his momma vote for Obama.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I’ve lived in NC for 14 years (moved from Canada so of course I’m a crazy Liberal in this god-fearing state) and this was the very first year I registered and went and voted. I think it’s because I’m a mother now; not only does the obligation weigh heavily (if only I had gone out and voted last time!) and matter so much more (let’s please get this country back together for my kid, if not me), but I want Jelly to appreciate that we can do this, and that it’s not just a responsibility but a privelege. I took her with me, and at 5 1/2 months she marked her choices by chewing on the corner of my ballot. She seems to lean towards the Libertarians, so we’re all in trouble.
And, uh, PG rocks.
November 4th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Great post, Liz! I’m loving all the questions asked about the election by my 4 year old.
Pathetic as it is, I had to Google “Philipa Gregory bodice rippers”. I thought it was strange new necessary undergarment for going out in public when pregnant. Whew.
And on a freebie note, Starbucks is giving away a free tall brewed coffee if you go by there and say you voted.
That’s cool. Or, hot.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Not everyone in Massachusetts is a liberal. Some of us have liberal tendencies, but are pretty conservative. I feel strongly about the right to choose and gay rights, but other than that…I took Lemon to the polls with me, she thinks voting is cool.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Oh and by both voting we have cancelled each other votes out, since I also votes in support of dog racing. I know, I know, but I grew up near the track and have seen it first hand. We even adopted a greyhound.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
As for the free Starbucks coffee, we have been saved from the illegal action of rewarding people for voting by the Election Oversight Committee. That was a close one. I almost participated in it. But Starbucks is instead changing their offer: anyone who requests a free cup of coffee can have one. Hoorray Starbucks!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I love voting, but I also love jury duty so I guess I’m a dork.
My daughter always comes with me to vote and then goes with her dad and cancels out everything I just did!
We are just one big happy family!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I’m torn on the stance against dog racing. Because without dog racing, I wouldn’t have my absolutely adorable, amazing and precious baby girl. Our retired racer joined our home last January, and if racing didn’t exist, she wouldn’t either.
I wholly and fully support legislation and controls in place to ensure that dog racing is humane and that the dogs are well taken care of. Adopt a Racer, support a rescue agency, talk about the dogs and how they need homes. Please.
November 4th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
A-freakin-men! You stated it beautifully, as usual. Many of my relatives in the past have been military. From run of the mill journalism that ended up being next to the Berlin Wall being erected to flying missions under the radar in out of the way countries. We vote because we can. Because so many can’t and so many have died and been irrevocably damaged to defend us. Because voting is a right and a privilege, but it is also a duty. And most importantly? Because you get no right to comment or complain if you can’t be bothered to vote!
November 4th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
It’s not the hormones….or it HAD BETTER NOT BE!!!??!!! (I teared up at the 20 somethings voting for the first time ever!! Sure hope I see them there again.)
YAY AMERICA!!!
November 5th, 2008 at 1:41 am
i cried when i voted this evening too, because i wanted so badly for the nightmare of the past eight years to be over. i cried again when obama hit the requisite 270. i’m so proud of my country.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:50 am
As a transplanted Canadian living in a country where coups and vote-buying and bullying are a ‘normal’ part of the political process your point about taking a free and fair vote process for granted really hits home. Apathy, I think, is as great a threat to democracy as terrorism or corruption. Only 59% of Canadians turned up to vote in its national election last month — shame!
Anyway, congrats America! The world is watching in hope!
November 5th, 2008 at 2:19 am
I cry every time I vote. I think it is amazing that we get to do this.
November 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I finally finished my Philippa Gregory bodice-ripper in the 3 kid-free hours I had standing in line to vote!
November 5th, 2008 at 9:32 am
YES!
November 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
YES!
