My first experience with voting in the general election was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.
My senior year of high school, I worked as an office aide at Mont Harmon in a work study program. I remember one day in particular, Mrs. Neeley asked me to run some stuff back to my dad in his office. When I got there, my dad was visiting with his long-time friend Brad King. Brad was getting a campaign together to run for the State House of Representatives at the time and was there to ask my dad to be a delegate for him at the upcoming democratic convention. My dad introduced me as I walked in as "his daughter that would be 18 soon and voting for the first time in November." Brad's face turned into an almost sarcastic smile and he said (jokingly, I think) "you should come and be a delegate for me!" My dad jumped right on the band wagon and before I knew it, I had agreed.
That was an experience I will never, ever forget. I started out on the grass roots level by attending the precinct caucus meetings. I had to be nominated by someone at the meeting (it was my dad, he he) as a delegate to attend the State Democratic Convention and then that motion had to be seconded. Once that had taken place, they had to take a majority vote within our precinct. My dad and I were both elected as delegates. . .the next step was off to the state convention.
A short time later, I was headed to Jordan High School with my dad and Uncle Bill. At first everyone congregated in the massive auditorium to hear speeches from the candidates on the state level. I was in awe the whole day. It was sort of like being at teen idol or boy band concert, but everyone was OLD!!! The speeches were exciting and so full of energy, it was hard not to jump on the band wagon. I wanted to vote for every person there! Once all of the candidates for state offices had been presented, we broke up into our districts. This was where my job as a delegate was important. We moved into the band room at the high school where all of the democratic candidates in our district presented their agendas. I didn't understand the point to all of the speeches, because I was under the impression that every delegate there already knew who they were voting for. Anyway, after all of the speeches were over, the delegates went to the polls to cast their votes.
On the way out, Brian Mullahy (a reporter from channel 2 news) caught my eye. I was gawking at how short he was in real life when Bill and my dad noticed him too. I said, "Isn't that guy from channel 2 news? Look how short he is!" and before I knew it, Bill was yelling out to him "We have the youngest delegate in the state right here!" and pointed to me. I felt my skin start to get hot and my face turn red and wanted to bolt for the door, which wasn't that far away. Bill started to laugh at my reaction and luckily the reporter didn't hear him. We all walked to the car laughing about the experience of the whole day.
To this day, every time I go to the poles I get the same excited feeling in my stomach that I felt that day. I love to listen to political speeches and research the candidates and items on the ballot. This is the fourth general election I will be voting in and even though the candidates for president are not the cream of the crop, I am just as excited as ever.
Click here to view the
To this day, every time I go to the poles I get the same excited feeling in my stomach that I felt that day. I love to listen to political speeches and research the candidates and items on the ballot. This is the fourth general election I will be voting in and even though the candidates for president are not the cream of the crop, I am just as excited as ever.
Click here to view the
I'm too impatient to wait for it to come in the mail, so I looked it up online. It's not really exciting this time around (no gay marriage or public school controversy) but still worth reading to be informed when you get to the polls.
