“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that ‘democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’ ” Winston Churchill November 11,1947

Tomorrow the great experiment in American Democracy will hold its next lab-class. As poll workers, my wife and I have a unique perspective, that I hoped would bring some calm and light in what may feel like a crazy election cycle. I am now seventy-five years old, and for my entire voting life, with each new cycle, I have heard again that this will be the most important election in history because of the changes it will bring. But, to me every election that we choose to vote (or not vote in) is the most important, because we can only choose today. Yesterday is already a moot point and tomorrow is a day never promised. So, without political vitriol or further pomposity, let me share what tomorrow will look like.

We will arrive at 5:45 and begin to set up the polling place. Though people cannot yet cast a ballot, they are free to watch us as we go to our various stations. At precisely 7 am, the first voters will file in. Because I serve in my local precinct, I will know a few people, but most I will not. Some are so young, that this will be their first election, others so old and fragile that their son or daughter helps them as they again exercise their right to vote. Some will vote for the candidates I choose, and some will not. Some are far smarter, wealthier and definitely better looking, while others are quite ordinary. As the lines ebb and flow, I smile at each voter, try to greet them by name and hand them the most valuable thing on earth: their ballot.

Yes, this democratic experiment has had its share of problems, and yet we also have granted more freedoms, and allowed us the ability to choose in secret, and preserved a peaceful transfer of power since the beginning. After all the votes have been counted, some folks will dance, others will challenge the results, and many may complain bitterly. But at the end, we will have new governors, senators, representatives and judges, and on Wednesday morning most will peacefully go back to work. No bombs will fall on us, or missiles fly overhead and if we will pause long enough to consider, we just may begin to give God thanks for His amazing grace in this land of the free and the home of the brave!