“Britney, who are you going to vote for?” my best friend, Sheila, asked me on Tuesday afternoon.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t given it much thought.”
It was election day for class president at school. It was also election day for the President of the United States. I wondered how my parents decided which candidate to vote for because I didn’t have any idea who should be class president.
Sheila, on the other hand, knew exactly who she was going to vote for. In fact, she probably knew who she would vote for in the real election–if she was old enough to vote. Sheila was the complete opposite of me when it came to the class election. She actually cared which student was elected class president. As far as I was concerned, Grace Martin gave out cupcakes one day and on the same day Troy let everybody in our class ride on his new skateboard so I think they should both be class president. Of course, that wasn’t what Sheila based her vote on. She felt that the election for class president should be based on ideas. She was working harder than ever trying to make sure the election didn’t turn into a popularity contest.
“Which candidate do you think has the best ideas?” Sheila asked me.
“I really don’t know,” I told her. I hated to admit it, especially to Sheila, but the truth was I didn’t know any of the candidates ideas, only that Grace makes really good chocolate cupcakes.
“How do you know who to vote for if you don’t know anything about the candidates?” Sheila asked. “Don’t you care who represents the class?”
I shook my head. “Not really, besides there are fifty kids in school who are voting. That’s enough to have an election.”
Sheila nodded. “You’re right, but Matt and Peter are home with the flu. That makes forty-eight voters, and Erin, from Mrs. Cameron’s, class stayed home, too. That’s forty-seven voters. Without you, it’s forty-six voters.”
I shrugged again. “That’s still a lot.”
Sheila sighed. “It’s up to you, Britney, but really think about who you want to win. My parents say every vote counts.”
I didn’t think that was possible. With forty-six other votes, one vote seemed pretty unimportant to me.
Michael volunteered to pass out the ballots. I picked up the one he set down on my desk. I really didn’t think it mattered who I voted for. I closed my eyes, turned the paper around, put it back down on my desk, and put my finger in the middle. I opened my eyes. My finger landed closest to Grace’s name, so I circled it. I folded the ballot in half and walked up to Mrs. Franklin’s desk. I waited in line to put my ballot in the cardboard box the class had decorated in red, white, and blue construction paper.
Twin math whizzes, Jennifer and Jonathan, counted the votes.
Everybody in my grade waited in suspense for the winner to be announced. I was still wondering how one vote could really make a difference.
“Everybody,” Principal Davis got up. “The votes have been counted. Twice. Believe it or not, it was a very close race. Troy Parker received twenty-three votes.”
Cheers rang out for Troy. When they settled down, Principal Davis continued.
“Grace Martin received twenty-four votes and is our class president!”
This time the cheers were even louder. I almost fell off my seat. I couldn’t believe it! Grace won by one vote and I voted for her. Sheila was right, every vote counts.
Grace smiled walking up to the microphone. “Thank you. As your class president, I’ll stand by my promises, like getting a new swing set for the playground and setting up fundraisers so we can start the art program again.”
This time I cheered! I really missed the art program.
“Too bad,” a boy sitting next to me said. “I was looking forward to skateboarding in the hallway.”
That’s when I realized that not only did my vote count, but how much it mattered. If my finger landed closer to Troy’s name, he would be class president right now and he probably wouldn’t do anything to get the art program back. The right candidate for me won–this time. But that wouldn’t always happen by picking a candidate at random. I knew one thing was for sure, next year I’m going to pay attention to what the candidates have to say. I’ll be ready to vote for the one with the best ideas. When the time comes, and I’m old enough to vote for the President of the United States, you can bet I’ll be ready. Because now I know how much my vote counts!