November 4, 2008

• Vote Now, No Excuses

  NOTE: This post is both on my Xanga site and the smaller blog I've started up on my Kizyr for Obama page.

  No more excuses. Vote now. Long lines? Shouldn't matter--find the time. Lousy weather? You can grab a coat. Fifty years ago I could've had to deal with the Klan threatening my life on the way to the polls. A hundred years ago I wouldn't have been able to vote (and neither would the majority of you, I'll add). When you put it that way, scattered showers and an hour-or-two wait doesn't seem like a very good excuse.

  In 2004, I took a flight from DC to Nashville just so I could cast a vote. And that was even a vote in a "Solid Red" state that year. This year, I'm even in a swing state, so there's nothing that could stop me from voting.

  Anyway, I did cast my vote. In total, the ballot had:
  - President / Vice President (Obama / Biden)
  - VA Senator (Warner)
  - VA-08 Representative (Moran)
  - Arlington County Council
  - Arlington School Board
  - 4 county resolutions

  There are numerous reasons to vote. The point isn't to be the one whose vote influences the outcome of the election, but to contribute to the principle of democratic rule. The idea that everyone, at the very least, can cast a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to the things that come up on the ballot. And, it's not only the President you're voting for, but also Senators, House Reps, and local elections (and, if you're in California, something like fifty different propositions).

  You may be in a Solid Blue or Solid Red state. That shouldn't affect your likelihood of going to the polls. You may not affect the outcome, but you will make a mark on the numbers. Notice how Virginia has gotten a lot of attention--do you think that would have happened if everyone in this state had just contented themselves to the state staying Republican? You may not be the deciding vote in this election, and you may not affect the direct outcome, but your vote can have an effect on how your representatives will behave in the future.

  Anyway, that's enough from me. The polls close in a few hours here, and if you are in the VA/MD/DC area, you should be on your way to the polls if you haven't voted already. Remember that, at least in Virginia, if you're in line by 7:00pm, you can still vote after the official close time. KF

  • 3:45 pm
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