Midterm Elections

Two days ago I voted for the first time and it felt great. I've been feeling like the world is apathetic lately and it was empowering to walk to my polling station (a place I'd been countless times before), spin the little wheel around and cast my vote. I feel that it's my right as a citizen, a person, and a woman.

So listening to the results and the statistics ended up being a complete let down-

I am a woman. Women are less likely to vote in midterm elections.

I am a person of color. Midterm elections tend to be more "white".

I am under the age of 30. This election, 9% of the electorate was under 30.

NINE PERCENT.

And really, what were my peers doing? I have no idea! For the most part, no one has a family, a job, or any responsibilities that would get in the way of them voting (these "no one"s I speak of are my college age peers) It took me all of 30 minutes and I walked to the polling station. There are 24 hours in a day, I'm sure they could have worked it out.

Some of this anger is about the political apathy of my peers, yes. These changes in our government and country affect them. The other part of this anger stems from the fact that my district elected someone who will never truly represent us in Congress and I'm deeply saddened.

A friend sent me this last night to go over, and it communicates how I feel much better than I can articulate at the moment:

Dear District #5,

Though yesterday may appear a victory for Republicans it is really a loss for us all. Regardless of your political views and how you voted, the "Red Wave" was always going to wash the Democrats from the House and give it back to the Republicans. A vote for Robert Hurt to simply "hurt" Obama and Pelosi was worse than beating a dead horse. Perriello may have voted against your political views but over the next two years that vote would be irrelevant, due to the overwhelming Republican majority.

The loss of his devotion to us will be vast in comparison to gain of Hurt's vote in Congress. Perriello was a politician that understood that election means representing the entire district, not just those that voted for him. He worked hard and listened to us more than any other Congressman to their district. He was bringing jobs back to Southern Virginia and had an exciting future planned for them and the rest of our district. I hope he can set enough in motion before leaving office so that this bright future is not forgotten during his absence.

{Name Omitted}