I Won't Get A Sticker Tomorrow...


But I will be one of the first (if not THE first) in line to vote at my local polling station.  Here in NJ polls will open at 6:00 AM.  I'll be out for my morning walk way before that and as I wrap up, I'll be sure to end at the school location where I place my vote.  I'll be there.  I'll be sweaty with ear buds in and hand weights.  I'll leave my hand weights on the registration table as I sign in and enter the booth.  I'll push the buttons for the candidates that I have decided on and then select the buttons to the register a yes or no on municipal and school questions.  Since I have done some basic homework and research, I know exactly what I'm doing.  There's no need to stand there and make a decision; I have looked over my ballot and know what I am going to do.  The whole process will take less than a minute.  Then I will say goodbye to the ladies manning the station, grab my hand weights, put my ear buds back in and head home to get ready to officially start my work day.  I won't get a sticker because I don't think they have them or if they do, I've never seen them.  While a sticker would be nice, it's not why I'm there.


I'm there to make my small voice heard.  And when it comes to local elections, my voice IS heard and can make a big difference.  (Just read this if you don't believe me:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-disappointing-election.html)  Do I want my taxes to go up?  (Does anyone really?)  Are improvements to our local schools worth the cost?  How much do I care about open space and historic preservation? Which of the four people running for 2 spots on state assembly align most closely with my ideals?  Who will best lead our local board of education?  What I think and feel on these topics DOES count.  How I vote IS going to make a difference.


I'd say that I don't care how you vote, just so long as you get out there and vote.  That wouldn't be completely true.  I want you to vote the same way I plan on doing so.  I want you to vote for "my" candidates and answer the questions the same way I will answer them.  But I'm not a heavy weight.  I'm just an average person and if you want my opinion, you're going to have to ask.

What I DO want everyone to do is spend just a few minutes reviewing the candidates running and reading the questions. (It really doesn't have to take that long.)  I want everyone who is registered to vote (and I hope EVERYONE who is eligible to vote IS registered) to go into that voting booth with confidence and conviction.  It is our right and privilege to do so.

In my mind, it is our duty as citizens to vote.  To always vote, no matter how big or small the election might seem.  We all have a voice; we need to use it.  (Whether we get a sticker or not.)

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