Election Day

I can remember when I was a kid going to school on election day. There was always a part of the school that was off limits that day, where, if you peeked, you could see the red, white and blue curtains on the voting booths.

It always seemed so mysterious and desirable to me. I couldn't wait to be old enough to vote and find out what was behind those curtains. Boy, was I disappointed to find out it was only a cheap, plastic shelf!

The first election I voted in we had a Senator in our state who had been convicted of financial fraud. He lost re-election by (I think) 57 votes. One of those was mine. It was a great lesson in the importance of every vote.

Last year I voted early, because I didn't want to gamble the baby was going to time her birth to allow me to conveniently vote. I had to take the toddler with me down to the election board offices where she bounced off all the walls as I tried to maneuver my 8 month squirming tummy under the plastic shelf.

I'm staying up late tonight, watching the election returns. I won't say who I voted for, but I will say this: It worries me, all these reports about the two parties poised to take this to the courtroom. I hope the candidates will let this go. Whatever anyone hopes to accomplish in 4 years in the White House isn't worth tearing this country apart in a post-election court battle. I honestly think that would be terribly dangerous for us as a country. One of our great strengths has always been our ability to make elections work, peacefully, without violence, accepting the results even if you're upset. Bringing the lawyers in will undermine that and we might never recover. I know that sounds melodramatic, but I feel so strongly that it would be utterly irresponsible of either side to go to litigation. I'd rather see my guy lose than see that happen.