VOTE ON NOVEMBER 2-AN EXPERIENCE YOU WILL REMEMBER

If you are 18 this should be one of the most exciting times in your life because you are now an adult and it is your duty as an AMERICAN to VOTE. Voting for my first time at age 18 and is a life experience I will never forget. My first vote occurred in a small rural town in Kansas and the population of the town was about 15. All the farmers came for miles to VOTE here in this small town. Most of the people voting were a lot older than me and this surprised me as I knew many 18 year old people lived very close by but were not there. The building was antiquated as it was built in 1887 and the paint was worn. History lived in the walls of the building and if they could talk what they could say.

The town was located by a railroad tracks and had been a thriving community until a fire destroyed all but a few homes, a small church and the town hall which is where I voted for the first time in my life. I believe that was about the last year it was used for voting as it was about to fall down. I felt empowered as I sat down with the official voting ballot in my hands selecting my candidates in 1979. Each mark on the ballot was done slowly and carefully with a lot of thought put into it.  I felt it was a large responsibility to make the choices of the person that would listen and vote the way I would on the important issues. It took me longer than most as I wanted it to be right. Turning it my voting ballot and receiving the I VOTED sticker made me realize how proud I was to have the power to make these choices.

Who I voted for was not what is important in this story. WHAT IS IMPORTANT WAS THAT I VOTED. No other country has this right. I really felt apart of this Republic and I was now a citizen of this great country that could make changes by VOTING. Many of my friends laughed and made their excuses as to why they did not or would not vote. Most felt it was just a waste of time. It surprised me at the number of people that were 18 that could care less or had no clue as to who was even running. They felt no responsibility to vote and I kept hearing that your vote did not change anything.

 These type of statements are what motivated me even more to encourage educate first my own children and next my friends to vote and show they cared about this country. My friends apathy made my convictions of my beliefs and values even stronger and I thank them today for teaching me a lot. I took the time to care about AMERICA.

One year while standing in the rain to vote they came outside an announced who the winner was and even though it was not the candidate I was going to vote for I stayed in line to place my vote. It took about an hour to vote but I stood in the rain so I could do my duty as an American. I saw several people leave when they announced the winner but not me, I stayed and VOTED.

I knew then that I would raise my son to take the responsibility of voting seriously. I would not care who he voted for as that was his choice but to VOTE was all I asked. I was a proud parent when my son asked my husband and I if he could go with us to vote for his first time. Kelly Says, Values and Beliefs need to be taught in the home so take the time to do this as you will never regret it!