An Act of Hope

This past Wednesday I took my lunch hour to take the opportunity to go to the Chatham County Voter Registration Office on Eisenhower Dr to cast my vote in the mid-term election scheduled for November 8th.
 
I was delighted to see quite a line of people waiting to vote at 1pm in the afternoon (were we all taking a lunch break to vote?).  I’d like to say that the line moved quickly (it didn’t) or that I wasn’t a little offended when one of the poll workers told me that “if you over 75, you don't have to wait in line" (I know I’m greying, but sheesh…).  It took a little over an hour to cast my ballot and make my voice known.
 
In just over 11 days of early voting, more than 1,000,000 have already cast their ballots in Georgia which crushes previous records for midterm early turnout (previously, 2018 was the highest on record).
 
Only 20 years ago, close to 90% of all votes were made in-person on Election Day.  Now, that number is projected to hover around the 30% mark and more people in total are voting.
 
Is it because people now understand how important it is to show up?
 
Is it because there is early voting, weekend voting, absentee ballots, better information being disseminated or some of each? 
 
Is it a new habit exacerbated by COVID voting?
 
However you vote, whenever you vote, whomever you vote for, it makes a difference because politicians only listen to two things: money and the vote.
 
People have died defending the right to vote and we shouldn’t take it for granted.  It is not only voting for a candidate, it is choosing policy that affects our community whether it be infrastructure, jobs, education, social security, safety, taxes, and more.
 
I’m not sure of many things associated with this midterm election, nor do I have a clue on who will win, but the one thing I am sure of is the voting is an act of hope for the future.
 
I hope you make your voice heard and VOTE.
 
Shabbat Shalom