Why I Vote

I’ve voted in every election since I was old enough to vote, a pattern of behavior that I suspect comes straight from my parents (who I recall voting and discussing elections and politics in a way that transcended party-line thinking). There have always been specific issues that I’ve been passionate about. As a writer and reader, for example, I care passionately about freedom of speech and threats to it. More recently, as an online enthusiast, I see threats to our freedoms there. These issues still are part of what drive me to cast my ballot.

But not terribly long ago, I became a parent. Now I constantly think about my children and the world they live in today and the world I want them to live in when they’re grown. So I vote in an attempt to deliver the future that I want for my children, and also because I want to exhibit behavior I want my kids to model.

Parents often say “use your words” to our kids. As adults, we need to “use our rights,” and we need our kids to see us do it. I use my right to free speech to talk about the issues with my children, and I talk about what it means to have the right to vote. As I said here, voting is more than just a word – it’s an action that gives us a voice.

So tomorrow I will go to the polls and use my voice for myself and my children. I’m going to vote... and I hope all of you who are registered do the same.

This post is written as part of the non-partisan, non-bashing Blog the Vote event. Please head over to Chasing Ray to see links to a wonderful collection of posts about voting.

(If you encounter problems while trying to vote, you can call the non-partisan Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA.)