This is not a political blog, but rather about the family into which I was born. This family, because of its service to the country, voted absentee for years. They served in the military and the diplomatic corps which meant that they moved all the time. This constant moving meant getting absentee ballots for almost every election. I watched my parents and grandparents open up their ballots when they arrived in far flung places, and there was always a bit of a ceremony as they filled them out at the dining room table. I was encouraged to watch the process as they all felt, to a person, that this was an important part of being a citizen of our country.
When I grew up I married a Marine, and the moving around continued. In those days one’s state of residence was whatever state and county one joined the military from. As a military spouse it became my residence also. My husband was commissioned upon his graduation from San Diego State University and California became our state of residence. We never lived there during an election year, so there was always the task of sending off for the all-important ballots, filling them out, and returning them by mail. I always enjoyed the fact that although I could not go to a polling place on election day, I could still make a contribution to the system that is such a hallmark of our nation. I was in my late forties before I was settled enough to actually go into a voting booth.
Never once in all the years that I voted absentee did I think for one moment that my ballot would not be counted as long as I followed the rules set down by San Diego County. I felt strongly that in some ways my ballot was worth a great deal as it came, as did my parent’s, and grandparent’s, from someone that was serving their country. A citizen of this country may have to stand in a long line in the heat, rain or cold to vote, but imagine if you had to organize your vote from Japan or Lebanon or even Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. No matter what the complications, one appreciated and was grateful for the ability to participate in one of the most important parts of our national heritage. Do not sell that absentee voter short. He may be at the ends of the earth, but he is still just a citizen exercising his civic duty.