I’m legit!

Yep, I’m eighteen. And registered. Which means that, as a citizen of the United States of America, I can finally fulfill my patriotic duty and vote. I’m legit.

Yet, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal when I registered back in October. It’s just one vote. No big deal, right?

But on the morning of May 4, the day of local elections AND the first day I could exercise my newly gained right, I was excited. I woke up early and started getting ready at 5:30 – I wanted to beat the lines and vote before going to school. I figured my dad would come with me and vote before he went off to work; he’d be able to show me the ropes. But when I walked downstairs, all ready to go, my dad was sitting at the kitchen table, still in his pajamas.

“I’m going to be late. But you’ll be fine going to vote alone, right?” my dad said, barely looking up from his cappuccino.

“Oh yeah, sure thing Dad.” Um. No!

But I got into my car and headed to the fire station, our designated voting venue. In my supposed rush to beat the lines before school, I pretty much beat everyone. Some business man and I were the only ones at the polling place. I walked in to the station, ID in hand. I marched up to a long table on the other side of the small garage area. A group of people, most likely community volunteers, sat behind the table, staring at me. Various list books and tickets littered the narrow table.

“ID please.”

I handed it over, just as I heard someone mutter from down the table, “Is she even 18?”

I turned and looked at the woman who’d whispered louder than she thought she did, “Yeah, I’m 18. And registered. I think…”

My name was on the list.

“Republican or Democrat?”

I got a red card with a capital ‘R’ on it. Okay, what now? My government teacher brought in a voting machine during a class period last semester. I tried to remember how to use it…

I broke down and confessed my rookie status, “This is my first time voting. What do I do now?”

One of my neighbors, who was working the table, got up and helped me boot up the voting machine.

After pushing a couple of buttons, the machine asked me to confirm my vote. I pushed the big red button and the screen lit up: “Your vote has been cast!” And just like that, my voting experience was complete. It took all of five minutes…

… And yet, I walked out of that fire station feeling a bit more mature than when I walked in just a few minutes before. I felt experienced. It was exciting, I realized, having a vote and a say in the outcome of important decisions. I felt involved, a true citizen of Noblesville, Indiana.

This new experience, for me, is one of many that I’ll encounter in the coming months, especially since I’m a senior, set to graduate in a couple weeks. I’ll be going off to Indiana University in the fall. It’ll be my first time away from home, sharing a room with my friend, doing all my own laundry, feeding myself every night. Experiences that will be both exciting… and really scary, too.