Well Played Votes

I found this unpublished blog post today – its too cute not to post now.  June 2018

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November 2014

How to teach my little people about the pride I feel when I cast my ballot?  Play of course. I made some ballots that are playfully similar to what our community is being asked to vote on.  I copied it thirty times.  I tried to recreate the physical nature of voting – photo IDs, list of voters at check in, privacy booths, ballot in privacy folder, ballot box with a lock.

We talked about the ballot over a serious working breakfast.  After breakfast the play polling place opened and I turned them loose taking turns voting.  I play history’s advocate and asked them if just boys or just girls should vote.  How about Katahdin votes for Berkeley?  A little discussion ensued while they stared at the personalized voter ID cards I was holding ransom.  Maybe next year I’ll try to tamper with their ballots to give them a real feel for Providence politics.

We took our lunch on the road and scooted to our local polling station – the Botanical Garden in Roger Williams Park.  I bet I never have such a beautiful voting experience again.

Important aside – I kept my political leanings to myself.  Partly because I’m changing issue by issue all the time and partly because that would have confused the essential learning for today.  I could have told  them about the struggle Providence is having to elect a new mayor with the lead contender being a twice convicted felon who was being investigated for current voter fraud.  Or that the taxing of cars at all on a yearly basis makes my blood boil.  I kept my mouth shut on those issues because all I wanted was for them to be excited about voting, understand the literally ballot casting, and have a good fun play experience to get them excited about democracy.  Maybe they will grow up excited enough to make this a real democracy.