polling

Local news channels showed lines wrapping around buildings all over the area. All over the country. Long lines plus a little boy who likes to wait until eight to eat breakfast is a lethal combination. I packed lots of snacks, his milkshake, a couple cars, and a Solo Party Cup. You know, for peeing.

I guess I could have been smart and dropped him off before going, but is important to me to take Jake to the polls, I've taken him every election since he's been born. I hold his little fingers and push the buttons with them while explaining what I am doing. This time he knew what was going on.

Every time we have passed the polling place since the Primaries he has said "I vote there!". Today he got to do it. When we got in our little booth (Jake asked if we were hiding from Obama so we could jump out and scare him), I didn't need to hold his hand, I just told him which squares to touch (almost but not quite straight Democrat), then I put him on the ground and let him push the big green button.

When we walked up to the building this morning he said "i'm gonna vote an' getta lollipop!". How does he remember this crap? You know I'm mean and I don't remind him about candy handouts, in hopes that he doesn't notice the giant bowl and we can sneak out with a sample ballot that he can color the back of as a consolation prize. Sample ballots don't rot your teeth. Although I read somewhere that some of those sample ballots can rot your soul though, so be careful.

Guess what else? No lines. I was voter 38 and Dave was 39 so there must have been a little bit of an early rush but we walked right in and back out again in fifteen minutes. Jake got a doughnut hole and a kiss from our neighborlady/pollster for his hard work.

So now we wait. And hope.