A 6 year old's election

This is election day! We have all been waiting for this moment for a long time. Emma is in first grade, but that hasn't stopped her or friends from having an opinion. She recently told me that she didn't think McCain should win because "he likes warring." She paused then added, "Mama what is war?" She also told me that other kids in her class said that Sarah Palin "throws books on the ground." She told me that several of her friends dressed up as Sarah Palin for Halloween. I am glad that little girls now have the option of dressing up as a vice-presidential candidate.

A few days ago, Emma and I walked by the assistant principle at her school. After we passed him, Emma whispered in my ear that he was the "Sarah Palin of the school." The kids in Emma's school had a mock election. No surprise that Obama won the election in Emma's Central Austin public grade school.

Today, her school is a polling location. It was buzzing with activity this morning. Voters and poll workers were everywhere. Even a police officer stood watch. I asked if he was there to monitor the election. He said "No." He was just there "to give the school some love." Hmmm.

I call our neighborhood, Obamalandia. Just for research purposes, I recently drove up and down the streets of our neighborhood. Every other house has an Obama lawn sign. I saw only two lonely/brave McCain signs. McCain will win Texas, but Central Austin is as blue as it gets.



I voted last week in Austin's Chinatown. Austin's Chinatown is located in a Hispanic neighborhood in North Austin. Sure, it is really just a strip mall , but all stores in the mall are Asian owned restaurants, clothing stores, grocery stores, etc. Since we are allowed to vote in any early voting location in the Austin, I thought it would be appropriate for me to vote in a polling station where diversity is celebrated.














Emma told me she is an independent voter. She says she votes for the best person, not the party. (I wonder where she heard that?) While Emma is nonpartisan, she never passes up an opportunity to have photo ops with the candidates. Here is Emma with both Obama and McCain last summer at the airport...