More than a few months ago Distributor Cap wrote a post about his voting history and today I give you mine. I'm not proud of the fact that I skipped a few elections, but anyway, here's how I've voted since 1980, the first year I was eligible to vote:
1980-John Anderson (Independent)
1984-Did not vote due to the fact I was too stoned and too drunk. It was my first senior year in college, what do you expect?
1988-Did not vote because I had just moved to Roanoke, VA and I didn't get my registration changed in time.
1992-Clinton/Gore
1996-Clinton/Gore
2000-Ralph Nader
2004-Kerry/Edwards
And I am glad to say that today, 10/20/2008, my 46th birthday, I took advantage of early voting here in my home county and I cast my ballot for Obama/Biden. I'm beyond elated that I voted for the men who are going to lead us out of the mess that George W. Bush and and John McCain have gotten us into. I am also glad to tell you that the line to vote early was a long one today, it was nearly an hour before I finally got in to cast my vote, and according to the voting officials the lines have been long ever since early voting began in TN last week. Long lines mean heavy turn out and heavy turn out means a Democratic victory.
If you can take advantage of early voting where you live then I encourage you to do so. If you have to wait until election day, then please make sure you get out and vote. One of the guests on Bill Moyers show the other night said that the best way to make sure that the Republicans and the Libertarians don't steal this election is to have a heavy turn out, so get out and vote people and make sure you encourage others to vote as well.
17 comments:
First of all, Happy birthday!
Secondly, it bodes well that there were so many people at the advanced polls. I voted at an advanced poll and I was the only one there! So, great in terms of efficiency, but, we had the lowest voter turnout in ages with below 60% (we are fuckin' weenies!). So, I hope your experience at the polls today means you're going to have a really, really high turnout on voting day.
Happy birthday as well, although I thought it was last week? Oh schucks. Glad to hear that there are crowds at the advance polls - good turn out. Perhaps this is a sign that change is coming. My fingers are crossed for you and the rest of the country. Hope it turns out for the best (for all of us!).
I know someone who didn't vote because the line was too long and the new episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was about to start.
I got my absentee ballot mailed in last week - Yippee - Obama/Biden here! If I posted all the elections I voted in it would take all night to read. Just kidding - my first election was in 1970!!
I considered voting absentee, but I want to take my girls to the voting booth so they can watch their momma cast her first ever vote for an African American for president of the United States of America.
My votes:
1984 Mondale (did not vote in primary.)
1988 Dukakis (Gore in the primary)
1992 Clinton (I don't recall if I voted in the primary)
1996 Clinton
2000 Gore (McCain in the Virginia primary. Really.)
2004 Kerry (Edwards in the primary)
2008 Obama (Obama in the primary)
I've voted for the Democrat every election since Carter's second run. Reagan and his creepy demagoguery was enough to tell me to do all I could to keep him out of office. It's been 24 years in the wilderness (Clinton counts, but the Gingrich "revolution" took the gloss off of his second term). The times, they are a changing.
Like Jess Wundrun, I turned in my absentee ballot and took Slim with me to the early voting station nearby. I stood there for a while after I cast my vote for Obama, amazed, proud, and even a little weepy. Even Slim knew something special was happening. He can't wait to register to vote.
You get to vote early in-person??
We have to mail ours in...I think. I have always been home to vote.
The only election I have skipped since I could vote was when Hubert H Humphrey III lost to Jesse Ventura for governor. Talk about a lesson in the power of my vote.
Happy birthday!
I voted for Barry Commoner in 1980, so I wasted my vote even more than you wasted yours, not that our two votes would've been enough to help Carter at that point.
I have really mixed feelings about the whole early voting thing. . . since I turned 18 in 1989, I believe I have voted in every election, including the "little" ones. Many of those votes from 1989-1992 were via absentee ballot. The rest have all been in person and on election day.
In 1990 or 1991, there was a huge fight in Illinois about the Harold Washington Party getting on the ballot as a third party. (Harold Washington was the 1st black mayor of Chicago and died in office). The fight ended up in court. By the time the courts decided the Harold Washington Party COULD be on the ballot, I had already mailed my absentee ballot back in and it didn't have the Harold Washington Party on it, so it was invalid. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to get new absentee ballots printed, mailed out, and returned and there would have been problems with people like me who voted twice (through no fault of my own), so my ballot didn't count and I essentially lost my right to vote in that election.
Being disenfranchised in that election was such a big deal to me that I re-registered in my college town in 1992 so I could vote in the primaries. I have never voted absentee or early again and won't do it.
Don't misunderstand me, I think it's a great thing, but voting on election day is a big deal to me and that hasn't gone away. Every year, I look forward to going and (hopefully) standing in line to vote and walking around the rest of the day with my "I voted" sticker.
Ya, I'm a geek.
Oh, my presidential voting record is as follows:
1992: Clinton/Gore
1996: Clinton/Gore
2000: Gore/Lieberman
2004: Kerry/Edwards
2008: Obama (primary); Obama/Biden
Happy birthday! I hope you get what you wished for today -- Obama/Biden!
I LOVE voting on election day. There's something so traditional about it, and I always walk out, choking back tears because it means so much to me. But I may vote early this year if it will help getting our man in office.
And I hope the rest of your birthday has been absolutely wonderful.
xoxo
Yo, Happy Birthday&stuff! I guess I never thought about it, but I have voted Democratic ticket since 72.
I was gonna vote for the Black Dude this time......but then decided to vote for the BEST QUALIFIED Candidate.... Barak Obama!
Am I the only chick under 55 in America that thought John Kerry was H.O.T. ?
1972 was the first year I was eligiable, I voted for McGovern.
1976 I voted for Carter
1980 I voted for Carter again
1984 I voted for Walter Mondale
1988 I voted for Dukakis
1992 I voted for Clinton
1996 Clinton again
2000 I voted for Gore
2004 I voted for Kerry
2008 I will proudly vote for Barack Obama
Happy Birthday!
I hope you get a brand new president for your birthday.
Argh! I can't believe I missed your birthday! Sorry. I hope it was a happy one.
We actually have to "go" vote? I thought we just got to call or text our vote, like America Idol.
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