Election Days of Yore

Today is Election Day here in the U.S. and it's got me thinking about Election Days of years past. I think Election Day should be a holiday that everyone has off from work, so in lieu of that, I celebrate it by reflecting.

When I became a U.S. citizen a few years ago, the privilege I was most excited about was voting. The first time I voted, the elections were local, but I was no less excited. I knew that local elections are probably the most important because it is the local officials who have power over our daily quality of life. I researched each candidate, waited in line for hours, cast my vote, and picked up my bright green "I Voted" sticker.

Fast forward to the election we all remember well, Nov. 4, 2008. The anticipation leading up to that date was incredible, and the electricity in the air for those 24 hours was even more amazing. I got up early to cast my vote, I checked the polls all day, and waited at home with wine and snacks until it was official and Obama made his speech. It's hard to imagine that it's only been a year since that day -- a year of some becoming more active, while others, like me, took a mental break from politics.

But Election Day is here, and my brain is sparked all over again.

The atmosphere this year is nowhere near the level it was at last year -- I've already gotten a lot of "oh, it's Election Day?!" reactions. There are still some races to look out for. Many are pointing to elections in New Jersey and Virginia as ones to watch. And, of course, my own home state of New York is attracting a lot of attention.

So there's much to keep political junkies busy for the day, but what will you be doing? Will you get out there and vote? I sure hope so!

(Need some help at the polls? Check out last year's voting guide.)