Voting as Early as We Can!

Our ballots arrived today, and I do believe it is a record...but I actually filled mine out today and it's ready to drop in the ballot box!

Typically I don't get around to studying the voter pamphlet and reviewing various newspapers' explanations and endorsements until a few days before election day. I take my vote very seriously, and I want to make sure I have enough time to study our myriad of candidates and ballot measures.

As a new voter, Mike had already done all this preliminary review and was all ready to fill out his ballot when it arrived (this is Mike's second election as a U.S. citizen and his very first general election). Previously, his involvement in the process consisted of reviewing and sealing my ballot and dropping it in the mail or ballot box for me. Now he actually has his own vote!! It's all very exciting. I just cannot understand why so many Americans take the right to vote for granted. It's especially difficult to understand this when women or African-Americans neglect to cast their vote, given the hard-fought right to vote.

Mike's enthusiasm got me going this year. The kids are excited about the election, too--see Kieran holding Mike's ballot below!



I'm gratified to hear of all the Americans around the country who are voting early. I have never seen this amount of enthusiasm for a general election or for a presidential candidate in my lifetime.

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