I Voted Sticker

I remember seeing these stickers on my teacher's and grown ups shirts when I was in Elementary school. I always wondered where they got them and if I could have one, too. Because EVERYONE had one!

As I got a little older I learned that you could only get that sticker if you were over 18 and voted. I was a bit bummed I had to wait so long.

Then 2004 happened and I turned 18 at the end of July. We had a big election coming up that November and I was so excited that RIGHT after I turned 18 I got to vote!

My family loves the absentee ballots so that is what I filled out. I have a picture of me holding the ballot... too bad digital wasn't as popular 4 years ago as it is now. AND all of my pictures from 4 years ago and beyond are in a vault somewhere in my parents house. Otherwise I'd have that picture here for everyone to see me at 18.

Because of the absentee ballot I didn't get an "I Voted" sticker. I was, again, bummed, but still excited that I got to vote! And the person I voted for won! Double winner.

I was telling my husband about how excited I was that I was FINALLY going to get an, "I Voted" sticker. He said he didn't know if there would be any at the place we were going to vote.

What?! No STICKER?!

He asked if I was old enough to vote at the last election.

I was a little offended, "JAREN. I'm 22. Four years ago TODAY I was 18. YES I voted."

He said, "Oh, I just didn't know if you would vote, you were so young."

OF COURSE I was going to vote! I was so excited! I wanted that sticker! Oh wait... I didn't GET the sticker.

Then he said, "Our little Whitney is all grown up!" To which I rolled my eyes (and giggled).

So, we drove down to a church building just a few miles down the road where they had a voting dealy. (For us folks out in the wilderness)

I looked at the couple leaving and didn't see a sticker on their shirt!! I told Jaren I was going to be sad if I didn't get one!

So I went in, looked around and didn't see any stickers. Maybe they were hiding them? Only to give to those who walked out having voted so as to weed out those people who come in and walk out pretending to vote to get a sticker.

I hoped they were hidden which was why I couldn't see them.

I got my big long paper ballot thingy, grabbed a pencil and went to a little wobbly booth. And voted.

I tipped my big metal container into a box where my paper slid into it so no one could see my TOP SECRET bubbles.

And then looked at them and smiled.

They smiled back.

I looked for my sticker.

NO STICKER.

Only Salt Water Taffies!!

NOO!

Now I have to wait another 4 years or 2, whenever I decide to vote again. And Jaren said, "This is where we will vote from now on."

What he MEANT to say was, "This is where we will vote F.O.R.E.V.E.R." You know, like on the Sand Lot. For EvER. For EvER.

These old people (oh, they were all OLD) don't get the stickers!!?!

I don't want to vote there anymore. I WANT MY STICKER!

So I'm a little sad about it. And now I have to do a big huge mid term that I've put off for almost a week that is due tomorrow.

It's a condition. Procrastination. Did you know that? Ramona says so and that means it's true!

.....and a sticker?