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Does it matter where we vote?
Does it matter if we vote?
No, really. I have some personal stories to share with you.
I asked students today if they were voting. They looked at me as though I was speaking Swahili.
“I am unaffiliated. I was told I can’t vote in the election,” was one reply. Well, that would be in the primary, not the general.
“I don’t live here, so I can’t vote.” That’s what absentee ballots are for.
“I’m not sure where to go.” That’s what a voter registration card tells you.
“Maybe next year.” That’s what Philadelphia Eagles fans say.
Look, I know this is going to sound square, but I used to love to go to the polls with my mom and dad on Election Day. Mrs. Kirlen, the playground monitor at my elementary school, doubled as the lady who signed adults in to vote. There was the magical quilty curtain and the bulky old machine. Voting was conducted in the fire hall and you got to see fire trucks. It was a win-win.
My grandmother was a wheel in the Lackawanna County Republican Party and she never let you forget it. She took pride in her role and encouraged us that voting was essential.
I may have missed a few votes in college, but I haven’t missed an opportunity to vote for quite some time, including today.
I was dismayed at what transpired at the polling place and the lack of attention to what happened. A neighbor of ours who recently moved to a house we can almost see from our place came to vote. Her entire family, including husband and children, were listed on the list of voters. Her name was missing.
To me, that looked like a mistake that could be easily rectified with a call to the courthouse. The judge of elections flatly refused and told her to go and vote in the town where she and her family don’t live anymore. That means she couldn’t vote for the commissioner candidates from our township who could represent her in lieu of council members from her old town that don’t represent her. She might as well have voted from Prime Minister of Canada, for crying out loud. And, no one batted an eyelash. Not the judge of elections or the women who signed in the voters. I bet Mrs. Kirlen would have come to that lady’s rescue, as would my grandmother.
How many times did this scenario unfold in Northeastern Pennsylvania today?
In the future, we must do a better job from top to bottom of voter education. When you’re tackling the tough issues with your teens, don’t forget about civics. And, when you’re conducting an election, don’t forget to tell your workers that votes shouldn’t be thrown away. |
Rush Limbaugh
