I came back to Houston last night so I could vote today. It’s my second presidential race, but my voting record would show it my first. My absentee ballot was thrown out four years ago because the signatures “didn’t match.” Yeah, right. That’s why I’m back in Houston – I don’t do absentee ballots anymore.
The lines are long. At 3 PM in suburban Houston, the line was an hour and a half long. Or so my friend, Sherrie Matula, who is running for Texas HD-129, told me. She and Martin Siegel were the only candidates at the location, passing out handbills. Sherrie was suggesting voters not wanting to wait so long go to the next closest early voting location. I went there. The wait was about 30 minutes.
I usually don’t take pleasure in voting, but this time was different. Voting usually feels like a chore to me. That doesn’t mean I avoid it. It’s a vital chore, not unlike doing one’s laundry. Not voting is like never washing one’s underwear.
This time was different. As I selected Obama on the eSlate, a large smile formed on my face. I don’t smile often. The smile remained as I selected additional candidates, including AAA-Fund endorsee Rick Noriega. I continued to smile as I drove off.
Voting in this election wasn’t like washing my underwear. Instead, it was quite fulfilling, like rare quality time with my best friend.
- Justin Gillenwater
