Vote Canceling

Vote Canceling

Noel Laflin

9-20-18

“Come, mother, let’s go cancel each other’s vote.”

These were the words my grandfather would say to my grandmother, as he would gently take her hand before heading out the door to vote every four years, as he was a republican and she, a democrat.

As my grandfather died six months before I was born, I learned of the oft repeated exchange through my mother years later.

Doing the math, I guess those patriotic strolls out the door took place back in the Roosevelt era – probably going all the way back to Harding/Cox actually, as that would have been the first election my grandmother, a woman, would have had the chance in which to vote. I bet she voted for Cox, the democrat.

I’m inclined to think that it was a kinder time back then.