Vote for Max!

The first person I ever voted for was not Ronald Reagan.

My mother took me behind the curtain that was just like the partition in JCPenny’s dressing room only smaller at the Woman’s Club.  She instructed me on what to do and gave me a boost.  I nervously punched the hole, afraid I might wiggle out of the correct circle and ruin Mommy’s vote.  I knew it was important and everybody only got one vote.  I felt slightly illicit knowing also that I was an underage voter.  I tried to be cool walking out of the polls, thinking if a police officer knew what we had done….

The next election I participated in was for President Clinton’s first term.  I was living in Seattle as a college freshman at the time and on a whim I went to his rally with my mom.  We inched our way to within inches of him.  A few months later, I resented my November 11th birthday as I missed the voting age by a week.  Mom’s vote was no longer good enough for me.  I wanted my own.

Over the years I have voted left and right, present and absentee, in America and oversees, and at times, I didn’t vote.  Not out of apathy, but out of disgust with the available options. 

Voting in Florida has been fun!

Andres took me diamond shopping when I finally switched my residency from Washington State to Florida after living here for a few years.  We went to the DMV in Coral Gables together where I got my new driver’s license and registered to vote through the Motor Voter program.  Afterwards he surprised me by ring browsing the ritzy jewelry stores on Miracle Mile.  I was shocked that it mattered so much to him, but that was the final turning point in us becoming a permanent couple.

We started voting together.  Our poll is two blocks away.  It’s a nice walk, one we often took with our dog, except for election day.  He had to stay home then, but we went together like it was a date.

Then I became I mother with nothing but time on my hands and I pushed my stroller and then double stroller to the polls.  Everyone would smile and compliment my children and I’d cajole a poll worker to give the boys extra I voted today stickers. 

Early civics lessons worked well for me and I hope they will bode well for my children.

Yesterday Max asked me, “Who is Mitt Romney?”

“He’s a man who wants to be president.”

“Who is…” he scrunched his little face trying to say it. “Ahbam, Oh…?”  He looked at me to finish his thought.

“Who is Obama?” I asked.  He eagerly nodded confirmation.

“He is our president.  He wants to keep his job, but Mitt Romney wants to be president too.  That’s why we have that American flag on our calendar (something he had asked about earlier). On Election Day we get to vote to decide who will be president.”

“And I get a sticker.”

“Yes, you do,” I said.  “And Jack, too.”

“Mommy,” he said after some thought.  “When I grow up, I want to be president.  Will you vote for me?”

“You bet I will!’

And so, in conclusion, my fellow Americans, vote for whoever you want to today, but in 2056:

VOTE FOR MAX!