the joy of democracy
seriously: go vote.
Voting is a big deal in our family. When I was around twenty-seven years old, I became a US citizen specifically to vote. Years later, after Marcus and I were married, he became a US citizen for the same reason. Our daughter’s first time in a voting booth was when she was four years old: I took her with me to cast my vote for President Barack Obama. I remember telling her in the car on the way: “Today is a big day, Alex! By the end of the day, America will either see its first Black president or its first woman vice president. Do you know what this means?”
“No, Mummy, what?” she asked.
“It means, honey, that when you grow up you can be anything you want to be!”
She was quiet for a minute. And then her eyes grew wide:
“Even a mom?” she asked, incredulous.
I assured her she could even be a mom, although I clarified that it was probably the hardest job on the planet, even more than being president.
Two years ago, as soon as she was eighteen and eligible, Alex registered to vote. Months later, she was excited to vote in her first election — governor Greg Abbott was up for re-election, so it was a big moment for our state. At the time, Alex was a freshman at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and she eagerly applied for her absentee ballot to vote.
It never came. We checked to ensure she was registered, and indeed she was, so she applied again.
It still never came.
(I have my theories about why.)
At the last minute, we bought her a flight home, so she could vote during the early voting period.
This year, of course, is another monumental election, and Alex was excited to vote in her first presidential election. Alex is now at the University of Colorado, and not wanting a repeat of 2022 (and because Colorado doesn’t need her vote), we purchased an airline ticket so she could fly home and vote early in Texas. “Thanks, guys,” she said, “but I’ll also apply for an absentee ballot, just in case. If I get it, then we can just use my plane ticket when I come home for the holidays.” We agreed, and she applied.
This time, she received a response. Her absentee ballot was denied, because the registrar “couldn’t identify which election she was interested in casting her vote.”
😳
Naturally, she used that airline ticket we bought her, got on a plane this weekend and cast her vote in person.
As for Marcus and me, we both voted earlier last week. In fact, I voted last Monday, the first day that early voting was available here in Texas. Happily, the polling station was really busy. While standing in the voting booth casting my vote, a young person came in. As the poll worker was checking her in, she suddenly shouted:
“FIRST-TIME VOTER!!”
And the entire room erupted in cheers.
I can’t tell you how heartened I was by this. I haven’t stopped thinking about the experience of that first-time voter who, regardless of political affiliation, will always remember that a roomful of people who believe in democracy cheered her on for participating. Because of the enthusiastic kindness of that poll worker and all the voters who were there that day, she’ll probably always believe voting to be a joyful act of activism. Hopefully, she will become a lifelong voter.
So to my fellow registered voters in Texas: grab yourself some joy this week and go vote. To my fellow registered voters in America: go get you some of that joyful activism, either this week, or on Tuesday, November 5th.
And may democracy, integrity, hope, and joy prevail.
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As ever, you (and yours) are an inspiration. I’m also excited to note that Alex chose to have a sorority experience as part of her life at CU- I hope it is wonderful and rewarding for her.