Exercising your rights

Since I haven't been able to work, or even to be particularly productive around the house, I decided to finally act on my long-time goal of volunteering for the O'Bama campaign (don't tell my parents). So I took the bus down to the local office and signed up. I'm rather introverted and both calling and canvassing go against my nature, but I sucked it up and went door-to-door for a few hours my first day out. And it was fun! Most people weren't home, but the few I talked to were very nice and we had some good conversations.

The next time I went out it was raining. Clad in yellow rain slicker and waterproof shoes, I set out on the rounds of my "turf." As I turned down my last street, with just a few houses to go, I paused to review my notes for the house in front of me. Presumably a husband and wife, 78 years old. My list is of known Democrats and/or O'Bama supporters, but newly registered to vote or with a sporadic voting record. I opened the gate of the chain link fence and knocked on the door of the small white bungalow. The elderly gentleman came out onto the tiny porch; when he found out why I was there, he asked if I could help him with some questions. I said sure--we're given some informative materials about most of the issues on the ballot so we can be of assistance if people have questions. So he went inside and returned with his unopened ballot.

He explained to me that he had only voted once before, fifty years ago. He wasn't really sure how to go about it, but he and his wife wanted to vote. She had never voted before. So he opened his ballot and I showed him the return envelope, which he had to sign, and how to fill in the ovals next to the selected candidates. I also had to explain that it was okay to not vote on a measure or a race if you aren't informed on it.

In the end, both he and his wife completed their ballots and gave them to me to take to the drop site (we're authorized to do that and even have receipts to give back). It was a moment of my day that felt very special--helping someone exercise their right to vote.