Election Day 2020: ‘The vote is precious’

It’s been almost a decade since I was in the newsroom for an election night.

I miss so much of my time as a journalist. However, I think I miss election nights the most.

There is a different energy putting together a newspaper on election night. There’s a sense of history being recorded. There’s a feeling of teamwork amplified as deadlines near and ballot tally reporting times lag. And, there’s pizza. Always. Pizza.

Tonight, will be different. For sure.

No deadlines. No pizza. (It’s Taco Tuesday, people!)

Still, The Weed and I will watch as much coverage as possible, knowing how important each election is not only to us but to people around the world.

We’ve been very fortunate to have traveled to some interesting places. In doing so, we’ve encountered people genuinely interested in our country’s democratic process and politics.

During a a stopover at London’s Gatwick Airport, The Weed and I were surprised to be asked by an English passport security officer: “OK, seriously, what’s the deal with Trump?”

During a cab ride through Athens, we laughed along with a Greek driver as he explained to us his theories about the American presidency and how it relates to olive oil.

During a raucous afternoon in a German beer hall in Munich, we were grilled by our tablemates about our politics and our involvement in electing certain candidates.

I’m always amazed by how much the world looks to our country. Today, it feels like that gaze remains directly upon us.

A story from the Washington Post this morning confirms it, outlining how leaders around the world are viewing the 2020 election:

• Commentators in China hope for a respite with a Democratic administration under Joe Biden but fear that whoever wins, the new U.S.-China rivalry started by President Trump might persist.

• Pro-Kremlin media warn the U.S. elections could lead to chaos and street fighting, predicting that Trump will be forced to retreat to his White House bunker before the vote.

• Many European leaders are watching anxiously, fearing Trump would weaken or destroy NATO if re-elected.

• In Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made much of his close ties with Trump, analysts wonder if a Democratic win might weaken the Israeli leader’s long hold on power.

• Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, mocked Trump for predicting fraud in his own country’s election, calling it the “ugly face of liberal democracy within American society.”

So, yeah, it sure feels like the stakes are high this time around.

I’m grateful to live in a state with mail-in ballots. My vote was cast weeks ago and confirmed through BallotTrack.

I didn’t get an “I Voted” sticker but I did get some patriotic pride.

So, as Election 2020 goes down to the wire, I sure hope people around the country will remember the words of the late John Lewis, a staunch civil and voting rights advocate: “I have said this before, and I will say this again. The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in democracy.”