Coffeebreak: Voting not the same without stickers

By Michelle Bond
For PotomacLocal.com

Tuesday, November 2 was our day to vote.

I arrived at my polling place to find no crowds. No last minute pitch to swoon me to vote in a particular direction. No novelettes of literature making a last minute plea for my affection – Nothing at all.

I walked directly into the auditorium. I recited my name and address proudly. I received my little yellow voting key and went to go cast my vote.

It is true that a motivation for me to take the time to vote was because years ago someone told me that if I didn’t vote I couldn’t complain – and how dare anyone take away my right to vent. But I was about to encounter the biggest heartbreaking change ever.

After I voted I felt a flutter of giddy little butterflies in my tummy, because I was about to receive my “I Voted” sticker.

The sticker is otherwise known as the badge of honor that says “I care.”

To wear the sticker unites all voting citizens, and allows us to look down at those who couldn’t be bothered to vote. The sticker is the sweet kiss on the cheek after a perfect first date.

And then I heard the words I never thought I would hear. When I asked for my sticker, the voting volunteer broke my illusions with one word: “budget”.

It was as if my date declared we were going ‘Dutch’ once the bill arrived at the table.

No “I Voted” sticker?

My wonderful little county would look like the cheap date as I went to work with residents who live in Fairfax County who flaunted their stickers, as they showed off their county’s effort to show them a good time.

I suppose when you really think about it, who really needs a silly old sticker anyway, right?

Michelle Bond lives in Woodbridge and often writes about her son, local living and about all of life’s other interesting curiosities. You can connect with her at [email protected] and on Twitter @1Coffeebreak.