The First Election

I hadn't voted for any Presidential Candidate in my life. I was 4 months shy of being 18 years old during the 1998 Presidential Election in the Philippines. So I couldn't vote. I was only an Immigrant during the 2000 and the 2004 US Presidential Election. So I couldn't vote. But, today, as a US Citizen, I finally did.

I went to the polls at 5.45 A.M. and the line was already snaking in front of me, probably almost a hundred people. Then more started pouring in behind me. By the time they opened at 6, there are probably, more or less than, 300 voters waiting in line. I thought this was normal. But the lady in front of me told me it wasn't. Later, I found out that there were more registered voters this time around. Maybe a lot of people are that sick of the Bush Regime that they really want to see some changes. But whatever their...our reasons, we became part of a historical election in the US.

Historical, indeed. But not in the sheer number of registered voters alone. If you look back 40 something years ago, Black men and women had a hard time voting, even though they have the right. They have to take literacy tests and have to pay poll taxes which makes it harder for them to vote. Their employers would fire them, and landlords would evict them from their homes, if they tried to vote. Now, we got a Mulatto (half-black, half-white) running for presidency (who seems to be looking good in the polls as of now). That alone will tell you that the United States have come a long way in just a short period of time.

Anyways, I'm really glad I did vote today, even though I was late for work. You could also tell that other people were happy to vote too. The excitement in the polls is just palpable. Even the weather was so cooperative (70 degrees in a November!). So I did my part and whoever wins tomorrow, McCain or Obama, I don't really care. But I'll definitely wake up to a President who's not Bush. Unless he declares Martial Law tonight. Then this was all for naught, and that would majorly suck.

Similar Posts:
Savage Dragon for Barack Obama