Suffrage

For me, a political science major and aspiring future player in politics, voting in this primary was a very interesting experience. Shockingly, as I drove to my district's polling locale, I was anything but excited about casting my vote due to the fact that I was anything but excited about any of the candidates. For the first time in my relatively short voting career, I was actually still unsure to whom I was going to give my much coveted vote as I pulled up to the building. I am a person of passionately strong convictions, and it is unnerving, to say the least, not to have a candidate to whom I can unreservedly give my full support.

Despite all of this, something else overcame me as I stepped behind that obtrusively cumbersome voting machine (is that still the best mechanism they have?). I think I experienced something akin to what the average male undergoes as they slip behind the wheel of whatever they consider the most exciting car to drive (sorry, I'm so automobile illiterate I can't even come up with a specific kind of car to insert to make my point). But this was exhilarating. I felt empowered. I, little ol' me, completely unknown by anyone who's anyone, was about to directly affect the future of one of the most influential nations on earth. Wow, what an amazing privilege! What a weighty responsibility. So many things flashed through my mind's eye in that instant...the people throughout our nation's history who gave their lives to give us this freedom; the people of Afghanistan, whom I had the privilege of knowing as they literally risked their lives to cast a vote in their very first election. They certainly know what I'm talking about.

I made one other observation on my way out, as my fellow poll-goers pinched our cheeks (and yes, I mean mine as well as my baby's)--I was literally the only person in the entire place under 65. Now I wonder, is that simply due to the time of day I voted, or does it say something else about my generation? Hmmm...