One of my earliest memories of polling places involve walking to my neighbor's garage, and then being so short in the booth that I could see up people's skirts as my mom voted. Sometimes it took an awfully long time. How boring! (However, I really loved the festive patriotic decorations my neighbor put up around her yard.)
But then I learned what voting really was, and it seemed pretty cool. After all, I tried multiple times in junior high to become a member of the social committee or student council. Alas, I was denied, so ended up running for the uncontested "school site committee." In fact, they had to beg two additional students to join me. I lost at least two minimum days because I had to stay after the noon dismissal to go to a site committee meeting. After that first meeting, I realized I couldn't get home. After all, the school bus had left at noon! Bah, humbug!
In high-school, I ran for student council again and lost, but I also was introduced to a bunch of students who were actually interested in politics. I went to a few political rallies with my new friends. But I couldn't yet vote.
I have a November birthday, so I had to wait a whole year after I turned 18 to vote in a November election. Sure, we had those June elections, and I was definitely excited to vote in June that first year, but it certainly wasn't the same as voting in November.
But after that first November - which wasn't a Presidential election - I pretty much lost the steam. Sure, I'd vote on "important" things like Presidents, but didn't really think about how the local stuff had a direct effect on me. In fact, I kept voting absentee for the hometown that I hadn't been in for years.
As it turned out, I married a guy who was - and is - deeply into politics. Following his lead, I got a chance to try out those wacky lever-voting systems in New York (while wondering why we weren't given extensive ballot guide like we were in California.)
Then once I moved back to California, I started really taking notice of how things were different depending on where we lived. Even ten miles away could be a drastically different life than where we eventually ended up. (We moved 26 miles three years ago to a much better school district, a seemingly drastic thing to do, which dramatically changed our oldest son's educational environment. Perhaps if I run a marathon someday, I'll cite that 26 miles already has an important significance for me.) Something seemingly little can make a huge impact.
Sure, a non-Presidential year election might seem "boring" but this particular election is anything but for me. You see, one candidate's success or failure has a direct impact on my family, and another candidate is one of those aforementioned politically-active kids in high-school (who was my "gay best friend prom date.") Unfortunately, I'm not in the district to vote for my good friend, but I definitely cast my vote in my own district for both local and statewide offices. It is going to be an exciting and nerve-wracking night.
Go out and VOTE!
