The right to vote

I registered to vote after my eighteenth birthday. Since my birthday is November 5th, I voted for the first time right before I turned 19. Joy brought me down to the voting spot- a school as I remember and she showed me what to do. I was nervous, my hands sweating, but I made it through with her help and voted pretty regularily since. I've taken it more seriously the past five years or so, researching and watching debates. When you have a Dad like mine, you had better know something cause it's bound to come up in discussion-often:-)
I had never really thought about that cost of being able to vote until the past two weeks. It's no secret that when you register to vote, you must also be willing to serve on a jury from time to time. I've filled out the forms that came once in a while, but wasn't selected. I had only ever received the jury screening forms living up here. I suppose cause there's more people to choose from downstate so your time rarely ever comes up. Well, a couple months ago, I got a form to fill out. I had to send it down to Grand Rapids, MI. I thought that was weird- even asked Joy about it cause she also had gotten a form at the same time as me. Her's was local though. So two weeks or so ago, I received a packet from the U.S. District Court in Marquette that I WILL be a juror. The id number is already assigned and the directions of when to call and how to dress was spelled out. I had to fill out another questionnaire- a weird one asking what I like to read and what I like to do in my spare time. What spare time? I was instructed to send it back within five days or else- they'd throw me in the slammer- I'm exaggerating, but it sounds like that's what they'll do. So this isn't the little slap on the wrist courts we have in our county- this is a federal court. They have the authority to choose you even if it's 73 miles from your home. And since I'm under their 85 mile cut off for a meal/ room allowance, I will be driving it back and forth day after day. Okay it gets better. I have to be on call for a whole darn month!!! They say each case lasts an average of 3-5 days and that if on my last week I'm called toward the end of it, I have to continue to sit until it's finished. So I'm thinking, what in the world am I going to do about the kids? Tyler and Katia get home at different times- Tayton needs his naps still and has been so very clingy lately. It's not going to be a pretty month. I picture my house will be trashed cause I won't be home until 8pm every night and have to leave at 6am in the morning. So this right to vote is going to cost me this year. I'm glad to see that Mike Huckabee is at least making it somewhat worth the effort. Our life will be on hold each week for a month. The kids will be in every direction. I will be spending three hours a day in my car and eating crappy food. Not to mention the stress of it all. I have to try to find someone to also care for my 5th and 6th grade girls on Wednesdays too just in case I'm not there. Undue hardship? I kind of think so, but I suppose everyone has to go through this to some extent. There's the chance that I may only have to serve one week I suppose. Then it won't be so bad. I'll let you know how it goes.