Election '08: A View from Across the Pond (PART V: The Absentee Voter)

Tomorrow is the big day! Yikes! I hope everyone exercises their right and votes. It doesn't even matter who you vote for...I think it's just good to go out and vote. I believe it's a privilege people take for granted. As some of you know, this is my first presidential election where I can actually vote. I didn't become a US citizen until 2006 so the first time I ever got to do it was during the midterm elections. I was really excited about that one so you can imagine how I feel about this one.

I know it sounds really lame but I really think voting is empowering. Think about all those other countries where they don't even get to vote. As much as we bitch about our politicians and their dirty politics, at least we have a choice - even if it's to choose the lesser of two evils. Shit, if I had the money (or had a sugardaddy) and could afford to go home to cast my vote, I would!...that's how excited I am to vote.

But alas, I'm not that lucky. Thank god for things like absentee ballot. I received mine via mail two and a half weeks ago. I was so excited about it. My roommate handed it to me and I noticed an "Obama please!!!" written on it. At first I thought the mailman had decided to write on my mail...turns out Xalba had done it. I decided to bring it to my classes (before I cast my vote, of course) and everyone was so interested in it. The fact that we get to choose almost all government officials was so interesting to them (See post on Spanish Presidential Election). I mailed it in early last week (via regular mail because it would've cost 35 euros by DHL), so hopefully it's in Chicago already.

The past two weeks, I've been wearing my Obama pin on my coat. My awesome friend, Ebs, sent me one in the mail and I've been representin' since I got it. Most people have approved of it, which goes to show that if the Spaniards could vote, most of them would vote for Obama. They all seem so sure that Obama would win, but I'm a bit pessimistic - I can't help it considering we've had Bush for eight years - and I'm not calling it until the results are all in Tuesday night. My eyes will be glued to the TV/Internet tomorrow. I hope I get to celebrate on Wednesday...aaaahhhhh!!!!