Election Day

It’s Election Day. First thing this morning, I walked to the polls to cast my vote for Mosquito Control Commissioner. There were other things on the ballot, too. Jon Stewart has been having a field day with our gubernatorial contest here in Florida; I can’t say I blame him.

Election Day is always somewhat romantic for me. I remember being a child and accompanying my mother in the old-fashioned voting booth. I remember her telling me about the sacred duty that I too, would one day have.

I brought my son to vote with me. He votes now. The other day he told me that young people would decide the future of Florida. It was a proud moment.

My son votes early. Most of my friends use the mail-in ballot now. I appreciate the shorter lines at the polls.

There is something about Election Day, about the actual process of coming together with my community to cast our ballots, which feels sacred to me.

It freaks me out when people chose not to vote. They often take an air of moral superiority, suggesting that the process is so broken they don’t want to sully themselves by participating in it.

I live in Florida. Believe me; I know the system is broken.

However, staying away from the polls won’t fix the problems. Staying away from the polls only makes the problems worse.

Yes, people died fighting for my right to choose between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist. It’s a sad state of affairs.

But it’s sadder still when people chose not to participate.