Just came back with the wife and kids from our municipal center to do something I've never done before: vote in a local school board election.
Evidently, this was no ordinary election: The lines were practically out the door. We bumped into at least three families we knew from school. Even our 18-year-old babysitter was there. There was a sort of communal feeling in the room while we all waited on line. Just to choose three of four candidates and vote yay or nay on a simple budget question.
The man working the sign-in table told me he hasn't had a break. I asked, is it normally this busy for a school board election. He told me it's not even this busy for a presidential election.
To be sure, voters from both sides were there: Some to vote for candidates on governor Chris Christie's side, and others to vote for Christie's philosophical opponents. It's been an interesting few months with him taking on the Goliath teacher unions and facing the fallout as citizens and boards statewide figure out how to run their school districts with less funding from Trenton.
But no matter what the results are, it was heartwarming to see that, at least in my town, the people were not apathetic. This is the way election day should always be.
Any similar stories to share?
Recent Comments