I half remember the election of 1984.
My family was living in San Antonio at the time. My dad held me up after he voted for Mondale and had me pull the lever on one of those old school voting machines. It must have been 7am, but I remember walking with him from the voting booth to my classroom down the hall. I had my handmade "Vote for Mondale" sign in tow.
(my boys Eli, left, and Truman)
Sure his vote for Fritz didn't matter much in redstate country, but my dad gave birth to an activist that day. I'm forever grateful for this memory and shared experience of physical participation in my democracy. (I later told this story to Mondale when I was working on a state senate campaign in Minnesota in 2002... He asked me if I still had the sign and if he could have a copy of it for his archives!).
I took my twin baby boys to caucus with me this year in Iowa. It was a mixed experience for 16 month olds... pooping their pants in a crowded room, tired and hungry and generally pissed off at their mother and me. Anyway, I plan on bringing them to vote with me every time I vote, so that like me they will experience one of these Mondale moments.
Happy Super Tuesday!
P.S. Here is a good link for Kids and Voting
And it's never too early to tell your kids Why Mommy and Daddy Are Democrats