Erica and Adam Kawano voted in their first presidential election with their mom Lynette Kawano.
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Lynett Kawano just wanted her children to know they have a voice in the political process.
That’s why the whole family – Lynett and her kids Erica and Adam – voted early together last Saturday at the SportsCom in anticipation for Election Day on Tuesday. It was the first time Erica, 23, and Adam, 20, voted in any election.
“Voting for the first time is important and I wanted to be a part of another of their firsts,” Lynett said.
The family thought they’d have to stand in line waiting for an open polling booth, but the wait was disappointingly short, Erica said.
“No one was there. I was amazed,” Lynett said.
It is amazing considering 68,093 Rutherford Countians cast ballots early this year. That’s almost half of the nearly 144,000 registered in the county.
Adam said voting was less complicated than he thought it would be.
“It was like an ATM. … The guy even put his card in,” Adam said, adding people shouldn’t think it’s a difficult experience.
Rutherford County Elections Administrator Hooper Penuel said there are many things voters can do to make Election Day a good experience, like bringing their voter registration card or other signature-bearing identification.
“I would also encourage voters who will be there not to wait until late in the day to go vote,” Penuel said. Voters who are in line when the polls close at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, but those who show up late are out of luck.
“Come early,” Penuel said. “We do expect some lines, but with 48 percent voting early it should cut down on the lines a bit.”
Penuel said the Election Commission will set up three Voter Central – one each in Murfreesboro, Smyrna and La Vergne – locations Tuesday to help speed the process at the polls. Voter Central is for voters who need to change addresses or have another problem on Election Day.
For more information on Election Day, call the Election Commission at 898-7743.
Penuel doesn’t expect any major problems on Election Day or any voters to have a difficult experience.
The most difficult part of Adam’s first political experience is the difference between his views and those of his mom and sister.
“We don’t usually disagree about anything,” Adam said, adding the pair didn’t even fight as kids.
But this time they do disagree. Adam supported Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama with his vote, while Lynett and Erica backed Republican hopeful John McCain.
The family’s political discussions can get heated with Adam and Erica throwing facts, opinions and rumors at each other with Lynett speaking up occasionally with her own opinion.
“I have noticed they’ve been extremely informed and extremely interested in this election,” Lynett said. “I certainly wasn’t interested at their age.”
The kids are interested and it shows in their differing opinions on the candidates’ economic plans and other issues.
“I like (Obama’s) views on the economy and that he wants to pull the troops out of Iraq,” Adam explained why he decided to vote Democratic.
But Erica, an economics major at MTSU, sees Obama’s “Share the Wealth” proposal as a step toward socialism.
“And that isn’t what our founding fathers wanted us to be,” she said.
But Adam argued Obama’s life story is an example of the American Dream.
“His dad came over here, had a kid and he might be the next president,” Adam said. “That’s the American Dream.”
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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