Vote Baby, Vote!

The day is finally here.

I seldom went to the polls as a child with my parents on election day, but that doesn't mean they didn't involve us in their politics. My earliest memory of this is when I was age 5, I stayed up late to watch Jimmy Carter lose to Ronald Reagan, and remember the somber mood that lingered in the house for days, which my parents made no effort to hide.

In 1988, my mom and I were two of 14 people who met Kitty Dukakis, the democratic nominee's wife, at a local elementary school in southern Illinois for what was supposed to be a rally. (As you might imagine, it's just not really possible to have a rally with 14 people, but Kitty was a good sport.)

My parents always made sure we understood the importance of active participation in our democracy. My husband and I are so excited to do the same.

Today, I took my son to the polls, and we voted together. OK, yeah, so he's not yet seven weeks old. But I don't think you are never too young to be a thread in the fabric of our democracy, even if its just from your stroller, along for the ride.