A Day to Never Forget

Today, I lived up November 6th. I was a volunteer for the Utah Colleges Exit Poll. It was a chance to really participate in political research, and it felt wonderful to witness the United States political system at play. I loved the instantaneous feeling of helping learn results and asking people for their opinion. I believe that is the real beauty of election day: demonstrating that everyone's opinion matters. It is a feeling of validation rarely found anywhere else. It is a true expression of free speech.


But the greatest moment of my day was voting for the very first time as a United States Citizen. I am going to proudly admit that I almost cried in the voter booth. (Of course, remembering Leslie Knope at that moment, too.) I realized that my opinion matters; that my voice is important. I loved voting. I thought of my suffragette heroines, like Emmeline B. Wells and Susan B. Anthony who made it possible for me to vote. Susan never got the chance, and it breaks my heart. But I vote in respect of her hard-fought battle that made it possible for me.


Maybe someday I will be just like Leslie Knope, and vote for my name on a ballot. But for now, I am simply extremely grateful for the chance I had to vote today. I love voting. And that is just the musing of a marvelous me.