Election Day: Florida 2010

As we all head to the polls, somehow today was nostalgic for me as I gathered my pen and ballot sheets and headed to my personal, if not evasive, poll booth. There was no curtain to make sure no one could see my ballot choices, but really, do I think one of the older people who were on either side really need help with their choices? Probably not, but the thought does make me think back...

I thought about the day I first was allowed to vote. You remember. You had that same encounter. Whether you were 18, 19, or much older, you also got that first chance to be able to vote. It is a feeling of power, victory, as if we are in control of our country.

Whether the moment lasts for a second, an hour, or the entire Election Day, we know that we had a say in who got elected. I guess that's why so many politicians are after the young people's votes.

Do you remember the 1st time you voted?

Florida Polls

Florida polls today were somewhat calm this afternoon. Once we finally figured out where to vote (they changed buildings), we finally got our chance to go in and vote. The line was short, yet the volunteers were all smiles. The other voters were all over 50. Yep, that means my husband and I were the only voters below 50!

In fact, these were the same volunteers we had during the presidential election, and yes, they did remember us. Kind of hard to miss my family, as we are a home school family trying to make a school project out of our Election Day experience. As always, we talk about what is happening, what we are going to do, and keep the kids informed on each step of the process. The older volunteers love my husband and I and always remember us.

As we voted, it was thrilling to watch each of our kids' reactions to watch us vote. Isn't that the power of being an American citizen? After watching our economy continue to fail, we each get a right to tell Washington what we want to happen. Either Democrat or Republican, our votes will count and help shape the politics of America. Will it change or will it stay the same? We get to vote and decide!

Election Day doesn't allow pictures while voting. Each Election Day, our kids do book reports on whatever happened that day. Tonight they will be home school reporters as each state counts its votes. I asked the volunteers if my kids could take pictures of me voting, and was told no. That was fine as we were able to take pictures just outside of the voting area, which had even better pictures. Being a home school mom is all about being creative!

If you haven't gone to vote yet, remember which district you are in, as this is fun to know how your district voted. You can watch your local news to find out how your state and local districts voted. I hope each of us takes this day to remember our first time voting. Talk to your kids about this important Election Day and share your views. Plus, let them decide for themselves what they think. Happy Voting!