I Voted

I hope you made it to the polls yesterday.

I was sixth in line at the Verona Public Library after pulling into the parking lot at 6:40; 20 minutes before the polls were to open.

At five minutes to 7, the line stretched (below left) beyond what you can see in the photo and was half-way across the parking lot.  Thanks to my 'smart' phone, I caught up on the latest Sports news and chatted with neighbors while waiting for the "Hear ye, hear ye - these polls are now open!"

Verona smartly divided the four wards voting at the library into two lines and not more than a couple minutes after walking in I was standing with a ballot tucked into the three sided privacy screened voting booth.

I waited longer to slide the ballot in the machine than fill in the ovals; grabbed my "I Voted" sticker and was on my way by 7:05.

For me, waiting 20 minutes in the morning is better than standing in line after work, but I applaud everyone who voted - whether it was early or on Election Day - I believe this country needs all of its citizens voting as we are best represented when all of us are participate.

The same goes for another civic responsibility - serving as a juror when called - which works best when we take our turn in the judicial system.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.  It's OK to cheer or boo from the sidelines, but our country can't move ahead without all of us joining in.

11/9/2016  7:50 C.S.T.
Now that the smoke has cleared and the results are known, there are many surprised folks around the country.  

It appears voters in the U.S.A. are following a trend which seemed to start in Europe with more of a nationalist perspective in dealing with the rest of the world.  It seems clear that's won the Presidency.

The next four years will be interesting.