Get Out And Vote

Since moving to Tennessee I have loved being able to vote early and have done so every year, but never on the first day. Usually it has been an easy walk in, walk out exercise with no waiting in line. Yesterday the whole process took an hour from when I first got in line to when I walked out the door and back to my car. The line moved along relatively quickly despite the extra Covid precautions, but it never seemed to get any shorter and may, in fact, have been slightly longer when I left. I have voted every year since I have been old enough to do so, and this is the first time I have ever seen people so motivated to exercise this right. I have been saddened watching the people in this country become so divided. But there have been divisions before, like the war in Vietnam and the Civil Rights movement, but those never seemed to get people out to vote as I am witnessing this year. Regardless of the outcome, if this year's election brings out a record number of voters, it will be one shining moment in an otherwise bleak year. I have never understood people who didn't bother to vote using excuses like "My one vote won't make that much difference," or "I don't like any of the candidates," to the worst one of all, "I don't have time." These are all so lame, particularly this year. The opportunities to vote have been greatly extended thanks to the pandemic, and I hope that when that is no longer a factor, we will continue to improve opportunities for all citizens to make their voices heard. Despite some of the political rhetoric, I believe that voting this year is safe both in person and by mail-in ballot, in fact maybe more so than at any other time. If you haven't voted yet, and many of my friends and family have, don't put it off. Obviously, when it is all over, there will be winners and losers. But if as many people as can vote, do vote, the big winner will over all will be our country.