November 4, 2008 7:11 AM
Moms Rock the Vote 2008
[Send your picture to megamommy12(at)gmail(dot)com. Tell us where you're voting and anything else you want to share.
If you didn't take a picture, but want to share your experience, please leave it in the comments - I invite your detailed descriptions.]
Barbara, here are our photos.
The first photo is of the children doing the "Kids Vote"--I wan't too impressed, but still, the children liked it. I liked that they had photos of some of the major candidates on the front of the ballet.
The second photo is of all of us (dad, too) as I put my ballot into the scanner.
And then, the third (last) photo is of me and the children with our free Starbucks coffee. Woo-hoo!!!
We went about 1pm and had NO waiting. I was a little disappointed that we didn't have to wait because I am hoping that a record number of people will have voted in this election. But, Dean tells me that 2 million out of 6 million registered voters in NC have already voted. Almost everyone that I know went for early voting. (And they had to wait in lines--none for us
today :-) )I'm so glad that you did this. We do a lot as a whole family (my friends are sometimes a little envious that Dean and I order things in our lives such that he can be included), but we have never gone to vote as a whole family since the children have been old enough to remember. And we certainly never thought to take a camera and record the event, but thanks to you, it's recorded to posterity. Hooray!
BTW: Starbucks--Dean tells me that SB "got into trouble" with their campaign; that it is illegal to "bribe" someone to vote. Therefore, SB chose to give free coffee to anyone who asked as opposed to pulling the campaign. A good thought, good motives, and, IMO, a good marketing idea. I think I will send them our post-vote coffee photo with a word of thanks.
AND,.....an e-mail from one of my local home school groups says that if you walk into Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (we're here at Winston Salem where KK originated--yummy, yummy) with your "I voted" sticker that they will give you a free doughnut. We save sugar and white flour for treats/special occasions, but may have to check this out. Isn't it part of our American duty--ha!
It is truly a sacrifice of time and effort for a mother of small children to get everyone ready, loaded, and out to vote. Thanks for sharing everyone's story.
Hi Barbara!
I took my ten year old daughter, Karlie to vote with me today. We live in Pennsylvania. Karlie has really been into the election this year. She is always asking me questions about it. I love your blog and have especially been enjoying it this past month!
Valerie
Rylie
Barbara,Attached is a photo of our family outside our polling place in Washington, DC. It rained for most of the day but the polling place was busy all day. We were prepared to wait in line but were able to walk right in and vote. My son Joseph (6) has been following the election very closely and was thrilled to get to see my husband and me cast our votes. He was just as interested in the local races -- city council, education board, congressional delegate -- as he was in the presidential race. My sons James (4) and Luke (2) enjoyed the cool machine that "eats" the ballot to record the vote. And my dear daughter Catherine (4 months) always enjoys a walk around the neighborhood in the mei tei carrier.
There weren't many children there when we voted but I was pleased to see high school students helping out as election workers.
Molly Pannell, George Paci and kids
Washington, DC
Because of our move, we have a new polling place, and because we live in the country we had a gorgeous 15 mile winding and colorful drive down Snickersville Turnpike and St. Louis Road to get to Banneker School. We had a choice of touch screen or paper ballot, which caused me a moment of panic (paper or plastic?) since there were people waiting in line but I wanted to pick whatever would prove the most useful for teaching the kids.
We had our five youngest with us - Maddy snapped the picture while the Downzers watched. Since we chose paper - I was thinking they could see us fill in the ovals with a pencil, the good old-fashioned way :) - we were ushered over to sit at desks - the touchscreen people got the booths.
The boys were thrilled with their I Voted stickers. So was I, as you can see from the picture Maddy took of her mom and dad :)
We have not turned on the TV at all today - just cannot stand the unbridled partisanship ever again. I've listened to the radio off and on, done laundry, given the boys haircuts and checked in with Drudge once in a while. Seeing all these pictures has given me lots to be happy about!
love,
barbara
aka Momma C
Hi Barbara,
Here's a photo of me and my kids from our trip to the polling place. I really appreciate your blog!
Sincerely,
Amy H
My son Blake was up and ready to go and 7:15 this morning. For a 10 year old he is very interested in the whole process. Thank God we didn't have a wait, we live in a very small town in the Shenandoah Valley. This is a picture of Blake voting. I didn't get a picture of me or my husband with him but he looked so cute sitting there.
Thanks for all you do, you are very appreciated.
Bridget
Keri
Sunny
Hi Barbara,
My 4 year old son was sick today, so he stayed home with his 13 year old big brother, who didn't want to go to the polls anyway. J I took the girls instead, including the 16 year old, who was disappointed that she will be *old* by the time the next presidential election rolls around. I told her I understood; I was 21 before I could vote for president, while my little brother got to vote at 18.
We went during the mommy hours, around 10:45, and got in pretty quickly, despite the first line I can remember at the polls. After I was done filling in all those little ovals, I had my daughter, who is accomplished at self photos take a picture of all of us. Let us hope the right man wins!
Angela
Hi Barbara,
Here is our Vote 2008 picture of Cole. As you may remember, we met you in January at the Blogs for Life Conference in Washington, DC. My husband, Michael Illions of Conservatives with Attitude! was one of the guest speakers.
Tonight was Cole's first Presidential Election, although he's been to numerous elections over the last 3 years with us. We vote in Iselin, NJ.
Thank you to all you do for Pro-Life and Conservative Moms everywhere!
Kim Illions
You can't really tell where we are, but we are in line waiting in the cold. Gretchen looks disenfranchised I think. :D The other picture is of our line. It took us 2.5 hours to get to vote! I had to find a quiet spot to nurse her while my hubby held my spot. He wanted to vote as a family so we went at 6am which is why we had such a long wait.
Even though the majority of people in our precinct are democrats, it was still neat to see such a large turn out!
Debra and Gretchen
We just got home from our neighborhood polling place in Providence, Rhode Island. We only have to walk two blocks to vote! We're very blessed that Matthew works from home, so he and I walked together to vote today (and brought Katherine).
We didn't have to wait in line at all. I was very upset about the partisanship of the poll workers, though. As they were looking up our names, standing next to me was a young man. He was a first-time voter. The poll worker explained to him a "short cut" - she said, "If you want to vote a straight party ticket, just fill in this one line at the top of ballot, and that's all you have to do. So you fill in the Democrat line if you want Obama, Reed, Langevin, (etc. down the line to the state elections). Here you go."
I couldn't believe it! I jumped in and said, "And of course you can fill in the Republican line if you want McCain, Tingle (etc.)" The poll worker next to the first woman laughed, and I said, "I mean,
let's at least TRY to be non-partisan!"As I was voting in my booth, the first poll worker was "helping" the young man with his ballot - she was actually in the booth with him! He was in a hurry, he said, so he ended up voting straight party ticket (Democrat). With hand-holding like that from poll workers, who needs campaigners?
Sigh. I feel privileged to have been able to vote today. Katherine was mostly excited about the "I Voted" sticker she got.
Becky Miller
Gray Cat
Hi Barbara,
Here is a picture of me and my girls after we voted. The lines were
short... my girls still have their suckers in their mouths.Blessings to you!
Jenn
AZtwinmommy
Barbara,
Here are my four children right after I had voted (they are holding the ballot). Soon afterwards, we went and explored the courthouse because it is older and very beautiful. We happened upon the clerk of courts and she offered us a tour (we were thrilled). The second pic if of my children in the judges seat, they loved the beauty of the place!
~Becky
Isabelle and I waiting in line (They tried to give this girl a "mickey mouse" voting ballot for kids. She declined) This kid is way to wise for that. She has been studying about and praying for these elections for months!!!
All done voting! The old fashioned way!
Can you read Elia's t-shirt? We voted for LIFE!!!!
(Elia was adopted 3/7/07. We are so glad her birth mom chose LIFE)After voting we attended our weekly "Malachi Prayer Meeting"- a 2 hour prayer meeting for moms, dads, and children to pray together for our families, our government, our schools, for the ending of abortion, for the churches in our country, for orphans, etc. These children have been praying all year for RIGHTEOUSNESS to rule in our nation! Today was no exception, they prayed with all their hearts for the election and for our new president to have his heart turned to the things of God.
Tracie Loux, From the Heart
Hi Barbara,
Here we are outside of our voting station. Yea! We all got "I Voted"
stickers, even the baby!Miriam, It's a Mom Thing
Hello Barbara~
Thanks for doing so much to keep us all informed about this election. I am glad that you decided to go back to blogging about everything at one place. I enjoy your perspective. =)
Here are pics of me and my kids at the polling place. My three year old pressed the button to confirm my vote!
Pyllis, Aimless Conversation
Shelley & Isaac vote in Illinois.
No McCain sign anywhere! No pic with the kids. Didn't want to bother anyone.
Shannon Best
and when I wrote back, porter looks sleepy :)
Shannon replied:
But he woke up when he saw the swings!!! and stickers! lol
We are so proud to vote! Go McCain! I'm on high alert all day as I know you are. Did you see that Sarah was wearing her Carhartt jacket? Funny that she can still look so beautiful in a burnt orange hunting jacket !! Todd is cute as a button too!
Here we are at the beginning of our hour and a half wait!
Julianne
I didn't get a picture of me and the kids, but I thought I'd send you one of my oldest two. We brought our breakfast because I expected long lines, but we had to eat it afterwards because voting went so quickly! I didn't even have time to repeat my "voting is a privilege and we are HAPPY to stand in line" speech.
Thank you for all the work you've put in this season. Now we've voted and we leave it in God's hands...Shannon M, Idlylwyld
It's a beautiful, sunny Election Day in Pittsburgh. Here are my kids and I squinting in the sun just before noon outside of the little neighborhood fire station where polling takes place.
Marian
Barbara,
I didn't get a photo of the kids in the voting booth with me, but
here is one of us outside with the "vote here" sign.Love,
Rachel
Barbara....
For the first time in my life...my husband and I voted absentee...as we were going to Parents Weekend in New York City to visit my college age daughter & would not be home on election day. HOWEVER...we always take our kids to the polls with us - so last week I took them to mail our absentee ballots and I took photos!
I will be praying tomorrow as I fly back to CaliforniaBeth
I was wondering if - with all the convenient options - we'd lose something important in passing on to the next generation the gravity and significance of the vote. But not to worry! I really like the way Greta and Beth made these memorable moments for their kids.
Posted in Campaign 2008, Mothering | Permalink
Comments
Wasn't able to take pics (against the law in MI) but the Vikings got their stickers! LOL Funny aside? I was one of about 5 moms in line with 1-4 kids a piece! LOL
MOMS ROCK THE VOTE! LOL
Posted by: Beth/Mom2TwoVikings | November 4, 2008 7:58 AM
We voted at 7:15 this morning and my 10 year old was up and dressed waiting for me. He has voted in the "kids vote" since he started school. I will email you his picture as soon as I get home. Come on McCain!
Posted by: Bridget | November 4, 2008 8:37 AM
I didn't get any pics at our polling place this morning, but we went to vote as a family. (Or, as my little one calls it, "boting"--since she isn't in school yet she has been my "boting buddy" in past years).
The poll workers were very friendly to my children (3, 7 & 12) and encouraged them to go into the voting booth with me. I come from a military tradition and I always stress to my kids that people have fought and died to preserve our freedoms--among them the freedom to vote.
Posted by: KatieButler | November 4, 2008 11:30 AM
We voted early last week. I spent the car ride over telling my 5 year old son what I was doing and why. I told him who I was voting for and why. He was very interested. They had a little table set up in the lobby with kids books so they hung out there while I voted. They even cleaned up the books before I asked them. I love it when training comes to fruition :) Unfortunately, I did not take pictures. Next time I'll make sure to do that.
Posted by: Alison C. | November 4, 2008 11:35 AM
I've e-mailed you some pics. We all went to the polling place and now, although it won't change any minds, we are going to wave signs on a street corner.
McCain/Palin '08!!
Posted by: Phyllis@Aimless Conversation | November 4, 2008 1:56 PM
We went to vote here in Oklahoma, though my camera is broken so I have no pictures. We waited an hour and forty minutes. Just before we got into the room to actually vote, an elderly man complimented me on the children's behaviour (I have four: 8, 4, 2, and 9 months) and gave us $5 to get a treat afterwards. Although it was a long wait, people were very nice and talking amongst themselves. The kids made several friends (in adults).
Posted by: Cathy | November 4, 2008 2:44 PM
I forgot to bring my camera with me to vote...remembered half way there. But bought my oldest, four, with me to vote and since we left the booth he's been wearing his "I voted" stickers! :-)
Thought you would find the scene we witnessed here in our small town of New Hampshire on our way out to eat interesting...or perhaps disturbing. Teenagers (or young adults) dancing in the middle of our town, on the side of the streets, in a gazebo that is smack dab in the middle of the town, etc. They were surrounded by giant signs of Obama's face (not just a sign with his name) and they were screaming, yelling at cars that went by. We've been living here for 10 years and have never seen this kind of, what almost seems like idolatry. Folks here typically hold signs, quietly,mostly adults, on voting day but this was very different, especially since it was basically very young people doing the "campaigning", maybe some even too young to vote. And it wasn't just some folks holding signs, they were dancing, screaming, euphoric...I commented to my husband (after yelling, "Go McCain!" I couldn't help myself...LOL!) that this is a generation that has been raised without a God. However, God created us as worshipping beings...it seemed as if the this generation has found their object of worship. How disaapointed they will be...
Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into raising the awareness about the truth behind Obama. I've almost been held captive to my PC over the past two months. I'm glad that it's going to be over...at least the election part. The aftermath we'll have to deal with - should he win - will last a lifetime. May God continue to show mercy to our country.
Posted by: Kim | November 4, 2008 3:32 PM
After leaving my MOPS meeting this morning, I headed to my assigned polling station with my three year old son and five month old daughter. On the way, my son and I talked about our country, the flag, voting, and the president and who we were voting for. We recited the Pledge of Allegiance a couple of times (he just recently memorized it) as well as sang the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. There was no wait so voting went quickly. We were given stickers and are proudly wearing them now.
Thank you, Barbara, for everything you have posted on this Campaign 2008 for us. I know on many days I checked in more than once to stay informed.
Posted by: Crystal | November 4, 2008 4:22 PM
We started our morning off with flying our flag outside our house! (It still stands for freedom and reminds us of those who gave their todays for our tomorrows!) Then we packed up the double stroller to walk to our polling place. (It is about a mile +, but we had a gorgeous day!) Our oldest girls, 7 and 4, chatted about elections the whole way down. Our 4 year old had already been telling EVERYONE she saw not to vote for "Arak Obama 'cause he wants to kill babies inside their mommies and even outside their mommies!" So we discussed other issues that were on our ballot. This is still small town USA so they knew me when I walked in and had the page open to my name. They said they had seen my husband vote at opening this morning! Love small towns!! Our 7 yo was handed the pen by the ladies at the table. I got the ballot, but then we all walked over to vote. After I marked the ballot, our 4 yo put the ballot in the automated slot! Highlight of her day! Then all four children got "I voted" stickers! Even the 10 mo! (Our 2 yo cared more about the neat bathroom ~ can you tell she's potty training?) After walking outside, we chatted with other voters coming in, and then went on an election day picnic! We have our maps to color tonight. 4 yo has already predicted Maine blue, Texas red, Oklahoma red, before I could get her to stop until results come in. I guess I should have let her go and see how right she was...oh well! Thanks for all the work you've done Barbara! Praying for Tripp and the rest of you!
Posted by: Sara | November 4, 2008 6:41 PM
I wish I would have brought my camera with me to vote today! I took my 3 youngest children,ages 4 & under, with me to vote this morning. We live in a small town in Indiana, and there was no waiting at all. As we were leaving the man at the ballot machine said, "I see you brought the whole family." "Well, part of them!" I responded.
My oldest daughter also "voted" today in her 3rd grade class, she voted for McCain. She has been making it a point to tell all of her classmates that Obama thinks it's okay to kill babies. My 2nd daughter told me that she would have voted for McCain as well, if they had done that in her class.
Posted by: Rebekah | November 4, 2008 8:04 PM
I couldn't take pics because my camera is acting fishy, but I took my 4month old with me today.
Aside from the directions being incorrect on the election website, it went off without a hitch.
I went at about 8 AM and there were only about five people there. I will say that the texas voting system is confusing. It's an electronic wheel thing that you spin until it goes to whatever candidate you want choose. I didn't have a problem with it, but I could see other people having issues.
My husband voted at 3 and said that there were probably 12 people there when he went.
Posted by: lauren | November 4, 2008 8:08 PM
Barbara, I sent my pictures a while ago. I'm looking forward to the children seeing themselves on your site.
They did inform me about an hour ago that they have taken a poll of McCain/Palin and Obama/Bidden signs since Sunday and that McCain signs outnumbered Obama 2-1. Soooo funny!
Again, thanks for doing this!
Posted by: von | November 4, 2008 9:31 PM
