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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Primary Rights

Today it is an Election Day round these parts.  Because it is primary election season, each state is voting on different dates, an unless you are a major political junkie, watch the news with some regularity, or are a political science professor, there is no possible way you have the primary election schedule memorized.  However today is Super Tuesday (translated: tons of state primary votes all on one day for fun!).  And for people who live in a house like mine, we will be watching the results roll in, the votes get tallied, and the delegates get allotted till our eyes cannot stay open for one second longer. 

I have made a concerted effort to not get all political up in here, and I'm not going to start now.  I'm not telling you which party ballot I'll be casting today.  Frankly, it ain't noneya business.  But what I am going to say is to all of you who still have yet to go and vote (and who are registered to do so) is for you to get your tushes out AND VOTE! I am a passionate believer in many things, but the right to vote is right up at the tippy-top.  I don't take the responsibility lightly.  Nor should any of you.  Voting is what makes this country run.  It makes our voices heard.  It is powerful.  Each time I hit the voting booth, punch that ballot (well, touch the screen these days), and submit my votes I want to yell out "BOO-YAH!" because I get so excited. Yeah, I may be a dork, but I am a dork who participates in my government and how it gets selected.  My vote in the national elections may only be one in a gigantic pool of votes, but locally it is vitally important.  And readers, local elections is where it is at. (yep, I totally ended that sentence with a preposition, but I don't care-it is my blog and I get to do what I want)  Local elections build our roads.  They fund our schools, our libraries, our health departments.  They decide who serves on local government that creates policies that affect our daily lives.  And these elections can (and oftentimes are) be decided by a single vote.  Maybe your vote! That is power.  See why I want to do a little dance and cheer each time I hit the polls?!

I take my son with me when I vote.  Every time.  I went with my parents when I was a child.  I didn't see how they voted, but I did see that they did.  It was important to them that we knew this happened.  That it was something we did as citizens of our town, state, country.  My son knows what voting is, what it looks like and that we do it several times each year-not just every four.  I am very proud of this.  Someday he will be old enough to register to vote, to exercise his own voice in the process.

Readers, this nation, these states, these towns are yours.  Don't give them over to everyone else who gets out the vote.  Make yourself heard.  Sometimes your voice is in the minority and sometimes it is not.  But that is the beauty of our country.  Today is an Election Day in Ohio, and I fully intend to exercise my Primary Right...to vote! I hope to see you there.