Guest Writer Lynn: Voting Day Success

My sister Lynn continues her story about encouraging her young neighbors to vote:

Voting day was a great experience with the girls. My Goddaughter had classes that day so I went twice. The volunteers in our local township office actually gave me a round of applause the second time and laughed because they said I was “dragging them off the street.” Mostly I was impressed how prepared they both were. We had two propositions on our ballot, one for medicinal use of marijuana and the other was for stem cell research. Two very powerful votes, and they had given them a lot of thought. I do not know how they voted but they did learn they definitely can be undecided, and I learned to trust the next generation to make good decisions for the future. I am proud of them both and it was a good day.

Guest Writer Lynn: Teaching a new generation to VOTE

Lynn is a great neighbor and mentor to kids. Our daughter, Stacy is working for the presidential campaign, and during a discussion session with peers, shared the story about Lynn’s attempts to show the younger generation how easy it is to be a good citizen:

Stacy called us last night, and was excited to tell me about a discussion group she had been in and how she used me as an example. I am taking two of the neighbor girls to vote on Tuesday for the first time. My goddaughter Jessica (18) and her sister Jacklyn (23) have never voted before and come from a normal Michigan family, but were actually scared about the whole voting process. I decided to make it fun, so we have been talking about the local propositions as well as the presidential issues.

The one important thing they have learned so far is that they can make their own educated decisions and don't have to share who they voted for. We will have lunch on Tuesday and then off to the voting booths. Actually our polling place is a very tiny building about a block away that has four local little old ladies who have coffee and cookies waiting and we all know each other by name. It will be fun to see how the girls feel after voting for the first time and I am very happy to be a part of it. We are in one of those toss up states and I guess the Californian’s Stacy talked to found it very interesting.

Teaching by example, it’s the best way! I think it’s great that the girls learned that, as American citizens, they have the right to make up their own minds and are not pressured to explain their decisions with others. Coming from a small town can sometimes be just as intimidating as living in a big city…for different reasons. But, that's what freedom is all about.Way to go, Lynn!!