Do you love to vote?

One of my resolutions from August is to “Turn complaints into pleasures.”

This vow was partly inspired by something a friend said to me during our senior year in college. She was an art major, and I was an English major, and we were commiserating about all the work we had to finish before we graduated.

“Well,” she said at the end of the conversation, “one day we’ll look back on this and think, ‘Oh yeah, we were complaining because we had to read some novels and paint some pictures.’”

So I’m trying hard to remember that often, I'm complaining about things I actually enjoy. Perverse but true.

This morning, for example, as I was mentally running through my day, I kept thinking, “What a pain, I have to vote. When should I do it? If I go after I drop off the Big Girl at school, I’ll have to bring the Little Girl in her stroller. If I go on my way to Society Library, there will probably be a lunch crowd…” etc. etc.

Then it occurred to me: I love to vote!

I love the sense of accomplishment it gives me, like I’ve really done something significant during the course of my day.

I love the ritual aspect—the whole country going through an experience together. It’s like the Super Bowl.

And it gives me a sense of…of…earning my keep. I live in a stable democratic government—sheesh, I hardly deserve that good fortune if I don’t vote.

And for all my whining, my voting experience could not have been any more convenient. My polling area is literally around the corner from my house, at the Hunter College for Social Work. They found my name on the precinct list right away. Only two people were in line before me. The polling machinery, though quaint looking, seemed fully operational.

And as I walked out, I thought to myself—now, even if I don’t get anything more accomplished in my day, at least I did vote. I love to vote.

Comments

[Grrrlfriend Jess]

I am right there with you. I love to vote. Love it. Love it. Love it. I also love the election updates with the streaming numbers and filled in states across a giant projected map. I'm a happy nerd like that. My only complaint (and honestly, it is a wee one) is that my precinct didn't hand out stickers. But I can live with that. (Shameless plug but you can read about my voting adoration by clicking me).

Another thing I love - this project. You make me smile every single day. I am so grateful for that. All good wishes to you!

[gr8face]

I discovered the beauty of the absentee ballot years ago.

[Andy]

I love to vote too. I always vote before going to work, so I get there right before the polls open.

Have you ever seen them open the polls?

It can be a little chaotic as new polling place volunteers are figuring out just what to do, but I love it when the election official goes out to the street and calls "Here ye, here ye, the polls are now open."

Most of the time (I've seen a few times when the official doesn't do it) they call that out in each direction and my heart just fills with pride and excitement.

Voting, it rocks!

[Mark W.]

I love to vote and I loved this post. I LOL at "The polling machinery, though quaint looking, seemed fully operational." The sentence then gave me pause to think about the accuracy of our vote counts and the equipment and systems used to count our votes (as well as the registration and monitoring of the voters). No small task ahead - still.