Happy Election Day!

If you haven't already done so, make sure you get out and perform your duty as a citizen of this great nation and VOTE! In Tennessee, they have early voting, so I've been there/done that already this year, but it's still very exciting to wake up today knowing that we'll have a new leader elected by the end of the day.

I grew up in Kentucky politics--the year I was born, my dad ran for the state legislature. He retired the year I graduated from high school, so it was really all I ever knew growing up. Thankfully, most years, he ran uncontested, but there were a few campaigns that I've lived to tell about.

Dad's campaigning strategy involved going DOOR-TO-DOOR--as in EVERY DOOR of our hometown. This was his version of "Get out the vote." A group of friends and family would gather at our home around 5:00 each night of the week during the campaign and we'd map out our route for that night. We'd try to cover a precinct each night if it was small enough or we'd stretch it out over a few nights if we couldn't get all the houses. Dad would assign everybody a couple of streets, arm us with brochures and stickers and off we'd go! My BFF Andee and I partnered together most of the time [total aside--can you imagine letting 2 pre-teen girls go around to houses asking people to vote for a certain candidate these days!!! My, how the times have changed!]

Here's our script:
[ring doorbell. wait for someone to answer door. pray that they were fully clothed and they had no mangy attack dogs.]
"Hi. My name is Ellen and this is my friend Andee. My dad is running for state representative and we wanted to see if we could count on your vote....."

Oh, the stories we could tell (and actually do tell) about those days. There was the time that a precinct walker got bit by a dog. And, of course, there were houses that Andee and I would skip. SHHHHH!!!!! Don't tell anybody! We always felt guilty about this, but the houses with grass up to your waist and a Harley parked in the front yard next to the chained up bulldog...well, we just weren't sure we needed their vote. But, we still felt this enormous responsibility...."what if dad loses by 1 vote and it's all because we weren't brave enough to face the heavily tattoo'd, shirtless man on that one front porch..."

All the precinct walkers were fed a good meal afterwards. At Wendy's. Yes, at Wendy's. This was back in the days when Wendy's had the SuperBar. (Remember that?) So, it was a good deal. When I got a little older and too cool to walk the precincts, I'd show up just for the Wendy's portion of the festivities and my Uncle Don would tease me, "No walk, No eat." I think that's in the Bible.

Thankfully, dad never did lose and served about 18 years in the House of Representatives. He was the kind of man that Frankfort, KY hated to lose--he stood up for what was right. He was the same behind closed doors as he was in front of the House or the media. He taught me much about the political process, but most of all, he passed onto me the love of his country. He is such a patriotic man! He taught me the importance of letting your voice be heard on election day and all year around.

So, what are you waiting for? To the polls!!!