Sister Suffragette

"So, did you vote?"

That question came spewing out my mouth quite a lot today. It is election day, so I was simply being topical, yet I was actually met with a few side eyed glances. Is this a controversial question?

Maybe so, since midterm elections never have as high of a turnout in comparison to the bigger, showy Presidential elections. Those glances I got may have just been the look of guilt.

This midterm isn't as glamorous, but, stating the obvious now, it's important to vote each and every time.

I know, I sometimes see why people check out of the democratic process. The issues are confusing, those guys/gals are never doing their job in Washington D.C anyway, so why bother?  We don't even get to go to official polling stations anymore. Here in Washington the ballot is just an adult version of connect the dots.

While I may agree that the initiatives could be more clearly explained, everything else is just being negative.

We are all a little person in our own little individual part of the country. It may seem like our vote has no impact.  But what if everyone felt that way? No one would show up and the system wouldn't work. Together we become the strong voting body that collectively voices an opinion.

For women: let's move in close and have a deep convo. Come on! Less than 100 years ago we weren't even ALLOWED to vote.  [Side note: This calculation is based on the official passing of the 19th amendment in 1920. Some states had passed laws earlier.] Can you imagine living in a time where our country said we couldn't do something? In my case, sassy Justine would have come out a lot.

When the Titanic sank, women couldn't vote. The history of film is older than a woman's right to vote. And the same goes for Oreo cookies, crossword puzzles, traffic lights, and the panama canal. How dare the Oreo cookie exist while women were still deemed a lesser citizen.

Suffragette's fought hard staging rally's in the streets to win this right - let's not slap all their work in the face. Especially now that politicians are fighting like wild animals for our vote.

It may not seem exciting to fill out a ballot and read about politics, but give it a try. At least do it for Mrs. Banks and all those ladies who made the US and other countries around the world a more fair and just place.

"Our daughter's, daughter's will adore us..."



I spent most of my childhood wanting one of those sashes - plus Mary Poppins' magic bag.

Get your vote on. There is still time. Well, maybe only on the west coast.


Until next time.