A THOUGHTLESS ACT OF VOTING

BY DAN MILLER
November 3, 2006

On a recent visit to Georgia, I snapped the attached photo of the first place I ever voted.
That was more than 45 years ago in my hometown of Augusta.
Back then, Georgia was one of only a few states that allowed 18 year olds to vote, and I was eager to try it.

Whether the old polling place is still used for elections, it's difficult to tell.... and there was nobody nearby to ask.
But at least it's still standing, right behind Joseph R. Lamar Grammar School, where I attended 1st through 7th grades.

The presidential race that year was between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.... and I recall feeling a rush of excitement as I entered the voting booth.... nervous and painfully uninformed on the issues.

Whether I voted for Kennedy or Nixon is not important.... but I will tell you the decision making process I used for voting in another race that day.

It had nothing to do with the Kennedy-Nixon contest.
I don't remember what office it was for..... but I do recall it was a local two-man race, seemingly -- at least to me -- insignificant.
Later that night, I proudly told my father which man got my vote.
He asked if there was any particular reason I had voted for that person.
I said, "No, I just flipped a coin" -- admitting that I didn't know anything about either candidate.... I had voted, just to vote.

Daddy looked a bit dismayed.
He said, "Well, you just cancelled my vote, for nothing."
The candidate I had voted against was someone my father knew, and someone he liked.

He said he just wished I had actually preferred the candidate I voted for.... or, at least, known something about the person, or his position on issues.
To my father, the fact that I just cast my vote randomly and thoughtlessly seemed inappropriate and inconsiderate.

Neither of my parents ever talked much about their political leanings, and neither of them tried to impose their preferences on me or my siblings.
I don't recall them ever suggesting which candidates or philosophy I should embrace.
That was left up to me.... something I've always appreciated.

Nowadays, I never suggest to my grown kids which way I think they should vote.
That's their decision, and their prerogative.
Of course, I do hope they'll cast a thoughtful vote.... even it it's to help elect whoever they feel would do the least harm!

To this day, if I'm in the dark on a particular contest or issue, I just leave it blank.
I don't want a thoughtless vote from me to cancel the educated vote of someone who gives proper, heartfelt consideration to their choice.

Again today, I'm thinking of what Adlai Stevenson said during the 1956 presidential campaign.
A woman called out, "Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person!"
Stevenson called back, "That's not enough, madam, we need a majority!"

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