The Joy of Voting

​     Though election day is tomorrow, last week my mate and I travelled across town  in the rain to the Franklin County Board of Elections to join our early voting fellow citizens.

     Here in our town of Gahanna, Ohio, It's not even as if this time around there are any galactic issues on the ballot. We're supporting our incumbent good guy for city council,

...as well as a couple of folks we like for school board. I voted yes on the two county levies, one for the Columbus Zoo and the other to fund mental health. Most everyone else on the ballot is running unopposed.
      In truth, I'm more excited about other big-ticket elections going on around the country: The races for governors of New Jersey,

​...and Virginia;

​...the Proposition 50 vote to redistrict California;

...and the the New York City Mayor's race, which at this point appears to be sewn up by the scintillating young  Democratic Socialist with the captivating smile, Zohran Mamdani.

     Still, whether the ballot issues be great or small in my little spot on the map, I always vote. And, amazingly, no matter the size of the issues, the same thing happens every time I vote: After I make my choices, print  my ballot, insert my ballot into the ballot-counting machine, 

...and see the flag image pop up on the screen to tell me that my vote has been counted,

...such a good, hopeful feeling always comes over me, as if I've been sprinkled with happy dust.
​      The feeling lasts all the way home.