Voting in the 7th Ward, First Grade

Alex's class has been learning about elections and voting for president.  He knows the names of the two main presidential candidates (didn't realize there were so many - something like 9 on my ballot this morning) and also knows that you have to be 18 to vote, so he's got a few years to go yet.  His cousin, on the other hand, who just turned 16 "will get to vote in two years!  First he'll be seventeen, and then he'll be eighteen!" 

One day in Alex's class they went around the room and each child told everyone what sorts of things they would do if they were president.  Alex told me the teachers really liked his idea of "opening more schools AND opening more grocery stores!" 

They've also had a couple of elections in class.  In yesterday's election, Alex told me he voted for Barack Obama - "and he won!"  Now, we don't really talk politics much at home.  Bill and I are pretty much of the same mind about most things, so there's nothing really to discuss.  And so hearing Alex discuss politics is pretty entertaining. 

I asked him why he voted for Obama, and he told me, in a solemn voice usually reserved for important topics like Star Wars and Santa, "Because he made a promise!"

He didn't tell me what the promise was.  It didn't seem to matter.  Just the fact that this man had promised something was a big deal to my six-year-old boy.  Promises mean something.  They are serious business.

Bill brought Alex with him to vote a little while ago.  I went first thing this morning.  We vote at Alex's school - just a couple of blocks away and today was a perfect day for a walk.  Alex was pretty excited to go with Bill, and mostly excited that the voting was done AT HIS SCHOOL!

Apparently Bill wrote Alex in as a candidate against this one local man who was running unopposed.

I think if Alex was in charge, all homeless animals would be adopted and zoos would receive extra funding for improvements and expansion.  And all cats would receive lifelong supplies of salmon-flavored cat treats. 

Comments

[janice]

I'd vote for Alex for LOTS of reasons.

[just1beth]

It is absolutely killing Conor that he can't vote. He was pestering me to come along with Tom and I while we voted, but I nixed that idea. I didn't need him buzzing in my ear like a pesky mosquito filling me with his political ideologies. (Although we see eye to eye on all things political...it's just the point.)

He already has his panties in a twist because he figured out that for the NEXT presidential election, he will be ineligible to vote in the primaries, although he will be 18 by the presidential election. He watches MSNBC like some teenagers watch ESPN.

[Dr. Addled]

Cute. My cats would vote for Alex on a platform of salmon treats.