The Majesty of One

By Jill Chapin

February 6, 2008

Walking to my polling place on Super Tuesday, I noticed more people than usual out and about. When I realized they all were going in the same general direction as I was, it occurred to me that these people had put their lives on hold for a while as they walked out of their house to go wait in a line - to vote. It was a warm, sunny day yet I experienced an unexpected case of goosebumps as I absorbed the enormity of what we were all doing, each of us alone, yet collective in its outcome.

Further, there was no security at the polling booths, no protests and no violence. In fact, the very ordinariness and civility of it all simply overwhelmed me.

What a stark contrast from those horrific images of the deadly election disputes in Kenya. And we have seen other vehement fighting elsewhere with cries of foul play at many polling booths around the globe. Yet as other countries struggle to get this election thing right, we here at home make it look so easy.

There was something else that was even more astonishing. We all must have believed that our one vote mattered. One vote out of millions, yet we were undeterred by the minuscule odds that our one vote could ever make a difference. Record turnouts were occurring across the country because of a newfound recognition that it really is up to each of us to make a determined effort to shape our own destiny.

Seeing all of my neighbors caring enough to participate in this singular act that best defines a free society softened the cynicism I had kept pent up for so long. The combination of witnessing what can happen to our country if the wrong person is given the reins to power, coupled with electrifying candidates, created the perfect storm for getting involved.

I never thought I would see this level of civic involvement again. I guess we are not too jaded after all if millions of us together can dare to hope that we can steer this country back on a course away from the brink of disaster.

Long ago in junior high, my friend ran for student council president. The votes came back a tie, but she would have won if she had voted for herself. She lost the run-off.

Our one vote does count when we go to the polls. This election year, it seems that we also understand more than ever that it also counts when we don’t.

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