Election season is somewhat of a roller coaster ride for me. I spend a good amount of time researching issues and candidates and debating/discussing them with others. It can be exhausting if I let it.
But when the day finally arrives, it all feels so worthwhile. It has nothing to do, really, with my expectations about the outcomes. I guess it’s the true patriot in me that comes out. This grand privilege of voting reaffirms the truth that we each have the ability to contribute to something so much larger than ourselves.
Driving to the polls, the exasperation and concerns melt away and I start to get giddy. As I arrive, I’m excited to see the candidates and their supporters greeting voters. I admire and respect them all, regardless of their stance on the issues. They’ve taken the next step; they’ve put themselves out there for what they believe in.
I also enjoy seeing my neighbors, even though I don’t know many of them. I was actually a little disappointed that the line wasn’t out the door. Of course, I chose my time carefully so as to avoid the crowds. But still, the waiting adds to the excitement of the day and I didn’t necessarily want it to be over quite so quickly.
It has been an interesting year and it will be fun to watch the results as they come in. I don’t know who is going to win what, but I will make one small prediction on the presidential election. History will repeat itself a bit and it will be too close to call and will be held up in dispute for at least 2 weeks. And the roller coaster continues.
Trina Baughn 
You many not have seen a line because a lot of people chose odd times to vote, probably to avoid a line. I campaigned for my husband at Linden most of the day, and the wait was longest (about an hour) at the times when it's usually shortest.At lunchtime, it was totally dead. After work and in the evening, there was no line — just one or two people trickling in.