On Sunny Lane: Make Your Choices

Sweetheart and I recently attended training to work at the election precinct on May 20.

Did you know there is an election on May 20? In fact, there are two elections every year—a primary election in the spring, when we narrow down the field of people who want the positions and one in the fall, when we make our final selections.

Many people do, indeed, know and come to the polls to make their opinions and selections known. Some people believe there is an election only once every four years—the Presidential one.  And some people know all about the semi-yearly elections and choose to ignore them.

I meet people who are proud of the fact that they have not missed voting since they were old enough to vote. Others say they see no point in voting because it’s only one vote and it doesn’t count. I vote because I don’t like the thought of someone else making decisions for me. And I don’t like the thought of facing the consequences of someone else’s decisions. Maybe the result of the election is not always what I would prefer, but at least I have fought for my cause. I prefer to fight, rather than be a passive recipient of others’ actions.

Sweetheart and I don’t just vote, we work at the polls, so that other people can do the same. We have done it for five years. We get up at 5:00 a.m.; get dressed; make two thermos cups of coffee; throw some snacks in a bag; and head out of the door. We arrive at the voting location by 6:00 a.m. In order to be ready for voters by 7:00.

In the springtime, the sky starts to become light at 6:00 a.m. In the fall, it is pitch black. We are usually NOT wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. We do wake up though, as the day wears on.

And wear on it does. There are times when many voters come in at once and keep us busy and lulls when we sit and wait. It pays to have an alternative activity for those lull times. It’s hard not to fill up on snacks when we’re not busy.

At 7:50 pm, we count down the minutes until we can close down the precinct. Then the ballots need to be taken to the courthouse, where they are counted. But, at least, Sweetheart and I will be released from our duties.

We are usually home by 9:00 pm, knowing that we have helped to facilitate a process that keeps our representative republic alive.

Recently, my daughter bought a new vehicle and was describing it to me over the phone. She chose the make and model she wanted; she chose the color she wanted; and she chose the interior she wanted. She couldn’t get everything she wanted, but she got most of what was available.

We have options on May 20. There are people asking for our votes for judge positions, for school board members and for other local offices. Their positions are as important as the President’s, because they affect us in our local communities and everyday lives. The county elections officer says he expects 30 percent of voters to make the decisions this time.

I suggest you know what your options are and make your choices.

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Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or send a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com