Obama family together for voting

I just watched Senator Obama, his wife Michelle vote with their two daughters, Malia Ann and Sasha, at their side. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the Obama family when they first saw the name Obama and Biden on the ballot. How many times had they voted before never really dreaming of the day when his name would be placed under President.

Obama votes in Chicago 1:13
Sen. Barack Obama casts his vote at an elementary school in Chicago.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/11/04/vo.il.obama.votes.cnn

History in hands of voters
Americans are voting in one of the most historic U.S. elections. Democrat Barack Obama could become the first African-American president. Republican John McCain could become the oldest president elected to a first term. Sarah Palin could become the first woman elected vice president. Record voter turnout also is predicted. full story

It reminded me of all the years taking my own daughter when I voted. It never mattered what the New England weather was like, she was always excited to go.


I have not met many people who said they were not voting but when I was having my hair cut, the young stylists told me she was not voting. Her mother was never involved in politics she told me. As we talked, it was clear the stylist had not paid attention to this election. We've had many conversations in the past about different topics. We talked about the Lifetime series Army Wives, which character did what and when. We talked about other TV shows, which she knew it great detail. Yet when it came to the direction this country is going in, what matters to her own future, she clearly had not been involved. Then she said what too many say "My vote really wouldn't matter anyway."

I told the stylists about how I had taken my own daughter, beaming with pride vote for the first time. We waited in line for her to vote. My husband and I had already voted in early voting in Florida. She wasn't sure what to do, so I gladly brought her to cast her first vote. As we approached the table for her to check in, the man behind the table grinned "Oh, first time voter?" I'm sure I must have been glowing when I said "Yes, she is." He greeted my daughter and congratulated her, then told me to go and sit down. I wanted to stay behind her but he said it was up to her if I did or not. She looked up at me and said, "I'll take it from here. Go sit down."

I had never imaged how I would feel the first time my daughter voted. "I'll take it from here" came after over 20 years of watching me make it to vote no matter what else was going on. From primaries to the general election, she was there at my side. Then it was time for here to "take it from here" and vote on her own. It had not occurred to me how many other parents never bothered to have their own children involved in their own futures. She had seen me reading the newspapers and watching the news on TV, reading what ballot measures meant for months before the election. My daughter did the same thing preparing to vote for the first time, deeply involved in studying what the candidates say and what is factual.

Parents involved in the election process, even if they are not fully involved in politics or dedicated to one political party over another, will decide if their children will take an active role or not simply by what they do. We can inspire them. It's great to lead the way so they are prepared to take it from here. We have a responsibility and all of us should do whatever it takes to get them to take their vote seriously. If you have not voted yet, do whatever it takes to do it. Stand in line for as long as it takes and then tell your children, your vote was worth it.

Even in this tiny town, they voted.

Obama wins in earliest vote in tiny N.H. towns.
Dixville Notch, Hart's Location 1st officially to announce Election Day results

DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. - Barack Obama came up a big winner in the presidential race in Dixville Notch and Hart's Location, N.H., where tradition of having the first Election Day ballots tallied lives on.

Democrat Obama defeated Republican John McCain by a count of 15 to 6 in Dixville Notch, where a loud whoop accompanied the announcement in Tuesday's first minutes. The town of Hart's Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain and two for write-in Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns' ballots but got no votes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27528804/