Schoolhouse Rock!

It's election day. The day we all, as citizens of this country, have the privilege of exercising our right to elect the men and women who will lead us, write our laws, and defend our constitution.

The Preamble - First aired in 1976
Written and performed by Lynn Ahrens


This is an event - an opportunity - that so many take for granted. As ashamed as I am to admit it, even I used to take it for granted. Then we moved to a new town and had to register to vote there. I did this with all the enthusiasm of making the address change at the post office. Then a couple weeks before the mid-term elections, I received a letter in the mail notifying me that my citizenship was in question and requesting documented proof of my citizenship. Proof!?! I was born in another country, yes - to a US serviceman and his wife, both of whom were born and raised in the USA! Before I could vote in that election, I had to send in a copy of my "notification of a citizen born abroad" papers. At the time, I found this very amusing and just a little irritating. Still, I provided the necessary documents. Then I waited for my voter card to arrive in the mail. I waited and I waited and I waited. It arrived ON election day. That evening, card in hand, my husband and I drove to our polling place to cast our ballots. My name was NOT on the list! I was told to go stand against the wall while they took my card and made a few calls. After close to 20 minutes, they finally found the information they needed to allow me to vote - provisionally.

It was an odd sensation, standing back and watching all these other people schlepping into their booths to cast their votes while all I could do was watch from a distance. I was so afraid that I was not going to have a voice in that election. I understood how my great-grandmothers and the women who came before them felt.


Sufferin' 'Til Suffrage - First aired in 1976
Music: Bob Dorough Lyrics: Tom Yohe
Performed by: Essra Mohawk



The right to vote is something I will never exercise grudgingly again. I will carefully and considerately and proudly cast my ballot, letting my voice be heard. Because I can.


I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College
written by: George R. Newall and Bob Dorough
performed by: Jack Sheldon



Happy Election Day! Now go let your voice be heard! Vote!




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