I voted early in Illinois so that I could volunteer to drive people to the polls. I didn't get a call until nearly noon. It was a woman who spoke with a Spanish accent. She gave me her address and her polling place. As I drove the 8 miles to town to pick her up, I wondered if I was being pranked by some ornery Republicans who'd picked up the Democratic flyer offering rides to the polls. When I got to the address, a lady in her mid forties came down the front steps. She thanked me all the way to her polling place. She was so excited. You see, she'd just become an American citizen on May 18 in Peoria and this was her first time voting. How cool was that? I feel so blessed to have been a part of her story.