Gerald Ford and the debut voter

I turned 18 the other day and couldn’t be happier.

Adulthood! No more getting bossed around. Finally, life on MY terms.

You seem…confused. What’s that you say? Despite my youthful appearance, it’s a stretch at best and an outright lie at worst to pass myself off as 18?

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Let me clarify. July 6 was my 18th sober anniversary. I kept telling my 12-step friends that I had a big birthday coming up.

“I’ll be old enough to vote!” I said cleverly, as they quickly searched for someone else to converse with.

Alice Cooper’s prose coursed through my mind:

“I’m eighteen
I get confused every day.
Eighteen, I just don’t know what to say.
Eighteen, I gotta get away.”

OK, so maybe not.

Anywhoes, it really did recall memories of turning 18 in real life and voting for the first time.

That happened in 1976 and the only vote I recall is Gerald Ford for president. Why Ford over Jimmy Carter? Easy. My deep political insight consisted of supporting Ford because he was from Michigan, where I lived (though I nearly voted for the Georgia peanut farmer because Ford was a UM graduate, and Maize/Blue wasn’t spoken in my house).

While I recall little about my first election, I always carried the sense of excitement that voting brings. 

Attending the Chronicle forum on Monday night, I saw hundreds of fellow voters talking with candidates, listening to speeches, and comparing notes. They’ll glean Monday’s experience with their own and — hopefully — cast informed votes in the Aug. 20 primary.

It’s always a joy having Cattle Dog chats with new candidates, folks who don’t consider themselves politicians. This is an entirely new experience. 

I sat with a judicial candidate on Thursday, and told her voters are like juries: They always get it right. And, like juries, we can only guess what’s in a voter’s mind.

Logic suggests that normal campaigning will result in normal voting for candidates based on their opinions, background, experience, and the like. But anyone who thinks logic decides elections doesn’t pay close attention.

Why do you think candidates and their supporters camp out near polling sites holding signs? I don’t have any data to back this up, but at least some voters make a choice based on whose name they last saw. 

I’d like to sit here and tell you I research the entire ballot before voting. That would be poppycock. I’m like most people. I do my best with the local candidates and then either bypass some races or — don’t yell at me — vote for someone I never heard of because I feel like it.

That problem usually doesn’t rise in the primary, when the races are almost exclusively local. No voter should be confused or surprised by anything on the Aug. 20 primary ballot.

That’s why I’m such a sucker for Citrus County politics. County Commission, School Board, Sheriff, City Council — that’s about as local as you can get. We don’t elect some face on a billboard. We see these folks in the grocery store, church, and out to eat. They support local causes and have fun on the weekend.

The coolest thing about voting is establishing that connection. I, an ordinary wanderer of Earth, play a significant role in society simply by voting.

I’ve known many candidates and officeholders over the years. Some flat-out enjoy the process of campaigning and public service. Meeting with citizens, problem-solving, and laughing at their own mistakes. Others, though, yikes. Running for office is a chore, and serving is a bother. These folks are often tense and paranoid. They have to be right ALL the time.

What they don’t understand is voters are very turned off by that. On the local level especially, voters appreciate sincerity and hard work. 

Monday, July 22 is the last day to register to vote in the primary. I hope JWC readers are registered. Forget November — this primary is Citrus County’s real election. All voters regardless of party affiliation, or none at all, get to vote in the important races. Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, Supervisor of Elections, County Commission Districts 1 and 3, plus four judicial spots — all DECIDED in the primary.

Voting is vital, man. Informed voting is the way to go. Yelling at county politicians on social media only goes so far. We speak much louder with a ballot.

My Gerald Ford voting years are long gone, thankfully. These days, you want my vote? Earn it.

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