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I know this is supposed to be a dog outpost on the interwebs, but I just wanted to take a few minutes and write about my voting experience today, and the tremendous anticipation, pride, and goodness I feel about my country and the people who inhabit this place with me.

Regardless of political bent, it was overwhelming to see so many cheerful, smiling people at my polling place. I went around 1:30, knowing it would be a slow period, but still expected some wait time. The parking lot was full of cars, and people were coming in and out of the school at a quick pace. Miraculously, there were no lines! When I got into the gym, I quickly realized that the city had seriously loaded up on additional booths and workers, and the whole system was moving efficiently and cheerfully. It was WEIRD. Competence and good humor! There were unfamiliar poll workers (I’ve voted at my location many times and have come to recognize the volunteers), including a couple of young black guys who were so nice and showed me how to use the equipment, made sure I got my sticker. I don’t want to generalize and say that I know what got them motivated to volunteer, and frankly, I don’t care, I was just giddy with the notion that there were poll workers in my precinct under the age of 50! My hope is that this newfound sense of civic duty is something that sticks – something that becomes habit for people, that this anticipated record turnout is not a fluke but a harbinger of things to come!

When discussing politics or other civic issues with strangers, I am used to hearing people say that they are all bad or they are choosing the least offensive option. I'm not hearing that this election cycle. People are making a choice, and they are excited about it, or at the very least, decisive about it. And that is heartening.

It is almost as if Election Day 2008 has turned into a national holiday of good will, excitement, pride, and dare I say it, hope.

I’m headed home now to pour a glass of wine and wait impatiently for the returns to start pouring in. I think I’ll also take Rusty for a quick walk past my precinct to see how the lines are coming in a little while.