The Votes Have Been Counted

And the board of education does not include me. Alas and alack. But I'm delighted to note that I lost by 7 votes. 

I think that gives me privileges to tease my neighbors next door, who didn't get around to voting, that they stood in the way of progress. Their 1850 Victorian is subdivided into three beautiful apartments. Mom and Dad, Grandma, and great-Aunt, and a married son and young granddaughter. .  Harumph. I coulda been a contender. 

I haven't carefully planned a career in volunteer politics, but after this experience, I may have to plan my future. It all began unexpectedly when my husband, reading the mail from the school district, noted that a school board member quit after the ballots were printed.  She has two years remaining in her term. With no time to reprint the ballots, a write-in campaign was requested.  With one week notice. And elections were on the night of my daughter's 3rd grade chorus concert. 

My children cheerfully and gleefully accompanied their parents as they roller bladed, scootered, or were strollered door to door in our village of 600.  We handed out business card size flyers for voters to put in their wallets and remind themselves who I was at the polls.  A couple of other villages are included in our school district, but they aren't within walking distance of ours. Factoring in costs for campaigning, my husband's part time layoff, and that this is a volunteer position, we rang up the other villages.

The victor was whom I predicted, a well-known long time resident of our school district.  But I trailed her by only 7 votes, which shows that hard work and cute kids and handy dandy wallet cards really pay off.  I took time off from 6:55 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. to sit and applaud heartily at my daughter's concert, and then crept out during the intermission as the 4th grade band set up.  The classic juggling of mother's responsibilities, distilled into one 25 minute period.

Being the joyful mother that I am, I bought the really big bag of popsicles to celebrate last night after the polls closed. The kids celebrated their hard work, and the fun we had campaigning.  Because really -- that's the lesson we take from this adventure. Shared time, working toward shared goals, and family cohesiveness.  I guess we won after all.  Tropical popsicles, on me!