Sunday, November 2, 2008

Born on Election Day

I grew up in an era where my father and mother drilled into my siblings and myself the importance of voting in every election, regardless of whether the election was a local school board race, a state senator’s race, or the race for the Presidency of the United States of America.

My mother often reminded me that the only election in which she did not vote, was in the election held in November 1959, the month, and year of my birth.

During that year’s election, my mother was in the delivery room at George E. Weems Memorial Hospital in labor and giving birth to me.

She wanted to vote, but because of me, she couldn’t.


Her account of the event was so inspiring that four months after I reached my 18th birthday I went to the Supervisor of Election office and registered to vote.

In our democracy, we hold elections for federal offices on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November, so the earliest possible date for a federal election is November 2 and the latest is November 8.

Since my birth, on November 7, 1959, my birthday has fallen on Election Day a total of 8-times, with the next occurrence in the year 2017.

Some states including Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia have passed laws making Election Day a legal holiday. Other states have laws that allow workers to take time off from work to vote without reprisal, and often without loss of compensation.

I know firsthand the importance of voting. In 1993, during my first campaign for a seat on the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners, I lost that election by just 14 votes. At stake in this year’s election is the local education of our children and the future direction of our country.

Although November 4, is neither my birthday nor a legal holiday, however, it is Election Day and you need to get up, get out, and vote.

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