My voting experience

**NOTE: For this post, my two year old daughter wanted to share her "voting" experience today on Election Day. Enjoy.



Hello. My name is Chloe and today was my first experience going to polls to place my vote. Now, I know what you may be thinking: What the heck does a two year old know about voting or world affairs in general? Well, allow me to elaborate. Even though I am young, I do like to keep up on current events. I may not know what certain terms mean, such as "tax revenue" or "electoral college" or "lipstick on a pitbull", but I've been known to glance through the newspaper and Momma and Dada's Newsweek or Time magazines. To be honest, my political knowledge and connections started early. When I was born, my dada was a political science major at Western Illinois University and he would read political books to me as I lived in Momma's womb. When Momma was in the hospital waiting for me to arrive into the world, the television was showing nothing but coverage about President Gerald Ford's passing. Eerily enough, I was born on December 30, 2006--the day Saddam Hussein was hanged. I also attended a couple of Joe Biden Presidential rallies last year, and I even got my picture taken with him! So, truthfully, I've been interested in political affairs before I was even born.

In America, I've learned that there are Republicans and Democrats. Elephants and donkeys. I know and love people who are associated with both parties. One of my grandfathers (who I lovingly call "Pa") is a Republican. In fact, my momma was raised a Republican. As she got older, she felt she related more to Democrats so she's affliliated with them now. My other Pa is Democratic, too, as well as his wife (one of my Grammas) and Dada is too. I think my uncle Pauly is more Green or Independant, and that's okay too. All I know is that it's important to vote and I've been looking forward to November 4th for a long time now (atleast half my life). When I hear Momma say that there was a time in the past when women or men who were not white couldn't vote, I was appalled! So I feel it is very important to have my voice heard, and in sixteen years, I'll be at the polls bright and early. I will do it because of those who years before fought for women's rights and civil rights and because I think that if one does not vote, one cannot complain about the ways of the world if they are not "up to one's standards."

Anyway, today was a good day. My dada is an election judge at one of the precincts here in town and he voted for Obama/Biden on the first day of early voting. He's been really excited this voting season, and I'm proud of him for volunteering to be a judge at the polling place. After Momma and I dropped lunch off to Dada, it was time to go to our precinct to place our vote. I proudly wore my "Little Democrat" T-shirt, which we later found out was a "no-no" when you go to the polls. Evidently, they don't want you to wear buttons, stickers, clothing, etc. that could be considered campaigning paraphernalia. But frankly, I didn't care. I feel that I was exercising my right of freedom of speech. (and honestly, the Democratic election judges liked my shirt). Anyhoo, my first voting experience was wonderful. And I'm sure there are many people out there who think that I just went to the polls in order to get my "I voted electronically" sticker. Although, I must admit that was a major bonus (I LOVE stickers!!), I went to vote for Obama and my old buddy, Joe (since we go way back) and because I wanted to perform my right as an American. Yeah!! Go USA!! Go Obama/Biden '08! :)