I voted today!

I voted in my first presidential election ever today! I've waited for this moment for years.(God bless early voting--I'll be too busy to vote on actual Election Day. I have classes all day and I'm working election night.)

I've been taught--and believed--my entire life, that voting is a privilege and it is our civic duty to search out the issues, make a rational decision based on your values and what you believe to be true (who cares what the mainstream media says--think for yourself!), and then VOTE!

I can remember being excited as a Kindergartener in the 1992 election when I was able to cast my vote in a class kids' election. I thought it was so cool to "vote" in class and then tag along with my mom as she voted in the real election. I have followed each election closely ever since.

So voting today was the fulfillment of a long-held desire. And as long as I am able to make it to the polls and think clearly enough to make my own decision, I will vote in every election I can until the day I die.

Too many Americans today sit back and passively expect our system to work as designed--without ever participating! The very foundation of our government is based on active citizen participation. In addition, thousands of lives have been sacrificed over the years so that we could have the freedom to vote (among other freedoms). We would be foolish to cast aside the privileges we've been given and not play an active role in our government. Voting is a simple, yet powerful way to do that.