As I waited in line at the polls yesterday to cast my vote, my mind began to wander back to the last election that I had been through. Only, that election hadn't been one of quiet voters booths, patient (or impatient) lines of people awaiting their turn to cast their vote. Instead, it was a presidential election of the developing country of Togo March, 2010. While I never made my way to the voting booths in Lome', Togo, the bit of election "excitement" was far from the hyped-up anticipation we find here in America. At the end of March, and the weeks leading up to and following the election day, there was dangerous tension in the air. While the Togolese people had the "right" to vote for the next president, the possibility of corruption amid the election process was heavy on the minds of the Togolese. This expressed itself through occasional riots in the city and strict curfew for us Mercy Ships volunteers for the 3 weeks surrounding the election. Thankfully, little fighting and few deaths occurred in the city of Lome' by the time the elections were done, but just as was suspected by the people, the previous president had been "re-elected" in.
So as I stood in line, waiting for my turn to fully color in all of the little ovals on my voting sheet, I thought of how thankful we should be as a country to have justice and accountability within our government system. No... our government is not perfect by any means, and corruption most assuredly exists within our systems, but the fact that it is built upon being answerable to its people is pretty incredible. As we live a move through another election year, we don't have to worry that our voices will be construed to meet another people's desires or agenda. But then the question remains... how will we responsibly exercise our right and ability to vote? That question lies with us.
