Election Year 2012

In 2008 I was at the front of the line for the Presidential election. Afterwards I wrote the following:

Election day I woke up nice and early at 6:40 am. I pulled on a pair of jeans and my "VOTE NOW" t-shirt mom got me at Old Navy. I got into my car and drove to Dunkin Donuts where I got an extra large coffee with cream and sugar. I could see my breath but I couldn't feel the cold as I waited outside of West Chester's Borough Garage for the polls to open. Promptly at 7:00am the poll opened and I entered the polling place. I was 11th in line to cast my first presidential vote of my life time. After I slid my ballot into the machine I was out the door and on my way to Lawerence Dinning Hall, one of two locations on Campus that West Chester University students could vote, as well as a few borough residents.
I took my seat on an over worn plastic chair that had seen better days. The table I was at had the varnish pealing off of it. I took my GOP registered voter list, a pen and my second cup of coffee and began the next six hours of my day. When the poll worker called out the name of the registered voter I crossed that name off my list. As the day rolled on the line for the poll grew. At a time college students were waiting up to 2 and a half hours! strange however, if found it, that the only people complaining were older borough residents who spent more than their lunch hour standing in line. The students gave the place a mood of excitement. Some carried foldable chairs to sit the journey out, others bopped their heads to their Ipods. still some came with all their friends, star eyed students who were also taking part in their first election.
After six hours, when it was drizzling outside my list was taken by the Ward 3 representative Scott Brion (who happens to be the son of the Chester County GOP Chair Josef "Skip" Brion). He thanked me for my service, and since knowing me for the whole summer thanked me for everything. I headed out of Lawerence Hall and pulled on my Phi Mu sweatshirt and I walked the four blocks home in the spritzing weather. On the walk home I had time to think about November 4th 2008 and who would be running our country come January 20th. When I arrived at home I was greeted by my roommates and fellow sorority sisters. We opened up a bottle of Arbor Mist and sat on the mixed matched couches of our quaint living room and watched the election results. No matter what the outcome I knew I had done my civic duty...


In 2008 I voted for Obama even though I worked for the Republicans all summer. This year I'm not so sure about who to vote for or how any candidate can change my personal problems going on in the world including helping me reach the "American Dream". I'm not sure its a possibility anymore.