Mom didn't vote. First time in 88 years. It is true that she lacks motivation for most things because of her mental decline but it is also true that she's put off by politics. I don't blame her.
I don't know anyone who is exactly excited about voting today. I know people who are fully committed to voting. I know people who are fully disenfranchised.
There were elections in which I didn't vote. I was disenfranchised. I'm still not loving the institutional politics. And I really, really, really hate the pounds of paper ads and commercials There are so may truly useful things that could be done with that money. The endless polls and punditry are brain mostly numbing.
Oregon does a really cool thing. They mail you a ballot. The first time it happened I almost tossed it because I thought it was sample ballot. For me, with transportation and mobility issues, it's a really happy thing. As I sit here looking out the window at the steady rain I am happy my ballot is already done and sent.
But I actually like going to the poll. It feels like community. Seeing the same poll workers. Seeing people from the neighborhood. Getting the cute little sticker.
So I hope people vote. I think it matters. And. I really hope we find a way to make it feel like it does.
You will not hear me saying that if you don't vote you can't complain. Of course you can. But this is a thing you can do. There are other things you can do. But this does matter.
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