Dawn approaches on Election Day

I always get emotional on election day.

Today will be my sixth presidential election that I will be voting in, and the most important.

This will also be the first presidential election without grandparents or my father.

Today, I will not be voting alone though. I will be bringing my ancestors with me and my two young sons.

In a few moments I will be getting ready to leave my home and walk a half block to my polling place and meeting my fellow Democratic Committeeperson to set up for what will most certainly be a long day.

My job in this capacity is simple: to make sure my division's (what other cities call a precinct) Democratic voters are informed and assisted as needed towards voting as smoothly and quickly as possible.

My 21-year old first cousin, Houston, has been with us since Sunday, up from Virginia. This is his first presidential election and the first time he has volunteered for a political campaign. He has been working and with incredible enthusiasm.

Houston will be shadowing me today between GOTV runs for the Obama campaign here. I will be teaching him about "machine politics" 101 and letting him see first-hand how grassroots party electioneering works in quite possibly the bluest neighborhood in the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Our late grandmother, an ardent community organizer in Baltimore and my most influential mentor, ran for office several times unsuccessfully. She died a year or so after I was elected as a committeeperson.

She would be so heartened to know that her grandchildren were actively involved in such a historic election.

We will not be alone in the voting booth.

In light of the passing of Obama's dear grandmother, no doubt, he knows this, too.

Comments

[SjP]

I don't know why, but I just put my father's flag in my window with an Obama sign rested atop it. Guess, that's my way of letting him be a part of history being made. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would have an opportunity to vote for a Black man for president. Never in my wildest dreams did I would ever see a Black President.