Today is especially busy for me and I won’t be home until late, so I went ahead and voted first thing this morning. I enjoy voting, even when I’m not gung ho about any of the candidates or issues. I think I’ve only missed one or two votes in the past fourteen (!) years. It’s important to me to honor the sacrifices of the Founding Fathers AND the suffragettes! I always consult Shelby Vote and the local newspapers for info about local races, and Candidate Comparison helped me make a decision for the presidential primary. You can select any two candidates and look at their takes on different issues side by side.
I’m remembering the last Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. That day was memorable not for political reasons, but because of a massive storm that swept through Memphis at the evening rush hour, dropping two tornadoes in the metro area and causing a Tornado Emergency to be declared. It went on to basically level Union University in Jackson. My former boss let us leave early that day so we could get to the polls before the storm arrived. When I walked out of the elementary school where I vote, a huge mesocyclone (not quite a funnel cloud) was swirling and starting to descend before my eyes. I’d waited all my life to see a tornado in person, so I’m still disappointed that instead of taking out my camera, I fled to my car and sped around the corner to the safety of my house. (My ex-husband was standing around in the front yard, totally nonplussed. A few minutes later he went to the gun range and left me to cower alone in the bathroom with the cats for over an hour. Thank God those days are over.) Anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever vote in another primary without thinking of that night!
I have lots to share this week, so stay tuned!
Gah! I forgot to update my voter registration. I’m a horrible citizen.
I remember that Tuesday! It was so scary!
I love voting! Even though where we vote it’s usually just me and Lijah and a bunch of old people at this little church that it feels like time forgot, even though it’s on a main thoroughfare.
And I always vote even when I don’t care for any particular candidate, too. I believe voting for the better of two less-than-perfects is better than taking the many sacrifices others have made (and are making) for me for granted.