This morning I got up early to go vote. Well I wouldn’t say early – I just got up when I’m actually supposed to instead of lounging around in bed for those extra 20 minutes that always makes me late for work.

Anyway, I got up and went into to vote. And today for the first time in all my years of voting I got to experience the awesomeness that is the volunteers who run the voting location. Because I knew finally changing my last name had to have some sort of long-term effect…

I went in gave my ID and name. The lady was very confused because there I wasn’t in her system. I asked her to look for it under my maiden name. Ta-da! So a nice man came over and asked me to come fill out a few forms. I filled out all the forms updating my name change. He very politely reviewed the two forms to make sure I’d filled everything out. Seriously who makes those boxes so tiny and close together. They’re hard to read and even harder to fill out! But we got everything done quickly and without any fuss. Then he kindly walked me back to the line to check me in.

And very quickly I was filling in my bubbles, putting the ballot into the machine and being handed my sticker. I swear it doesn’t matter how old I am – the sticker is one of my favorite parts!

So today I thank all the volunteers that run the voting locations around the country. They get there early. They stay late. I can only imagine that they hear more rude and unmannerly things then they wish. So I am thankful for those who take the time out of their lives to help us all with our civic duty.

Thank you voting volunteers!

Also – don’t forget to vote!

Roll of "I voted" stickers for early voters at the Eustis Memorial Library.