For the first time in my life, I feel like my vote has made a difference.
In 2002, the year I turned 18, I voted in a couple of random New York state elections, where there was little if any real competition. I will admit to being a delinquent citizen in 2003, not bothering to apply for an absentee ballot or learn enough about MA politics to vote there. This delinquency continued through the primary season of 2004, though with my voting options being NY or MA, my vote would have been relatively inconsequential. Ditto for the 2004 general election–I voted absentee in NY, figuring it would have a marginally bigger impact than voting in MA. Last year I registered in Wisconsin, purely to vote against the gay marriage amendment. Unfortunately, an unfair Wisconsin voted yes, in pretty much the entire state outside of Madison and Milwaukee. Disappointing, but not entirely surprising.
Today both parties held their primaries in frigid, snow-covered Wisconsin, a full two weeks after Super Tuesday, and the Democratic nomination was still very much up in the air when the polls opened at 7 a.m. Regardless of who gets the nomination, I’m very excited that my vote actually mattered this year.
Now if only they’d had those fun “I voted today!” stickers.
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