No Swine Before Its Time

It's Election Day. W4D voted soon after the polls opened at 7:00 this morning. He was the second person in town to vote. He's asked me to wait to vote until he gets home from work so he can walk me across the street to the Civic Center. It's all of 200 feet from here to there. I can't get lost and I am not infirmed. I think he wants an excuse to check out the "political climate." I do know that he is not allowed to discuss his campaign with me once we cross the street and leave our yard since he is within 150 feet of a polling place and he cannot legally press the flesh or espouse politics to influence any votes. We should walk in silence but perhaps, I can corner him behind a tree and whisper an offer of my vote in exchange for certain sexual favors. I should get something out of all this aggravation, shouldn't I?

In a town of less than 500 people, there are a surprising number of heated political issues. Our town is a unique Victorian enclave that is rare in Florida. A Designated Historic District, there is much discussion and many heated arguments about individual property rights vs. historic preservation. We also have some of the largest and most beautiful live oak trees in the South protected by a tree ordinance. That creates friction between the tree-choppers and the tree-huggers. Zoning and new development is the current bone of contention. Some years ago, we had the Great Pig Debates. It was eventually decided that any pigs and hogs living in town at a certain date could stay here until the end of their lives but no new swine could take up residence within the city limits. The Town Council "grandfathered" in the old pigs and ran the new pigs outta Dodge. These are the type of intense issues with which W4D, if elected, must deal. I am not kidding.



I don't believe the next few years are going to be an easy transition for our town. I wish W4D wasn't even running for this office. Still, he has a good attitude and I don't think he will be pouty if he doesn't win a seat on the Town Council. Unfortunately, I think he's going to be elected. With only one local item on the ballot and a rainy day, I bet a handful of votes will decide the outcome of this election. I imagine we will know the results by 7:15 p.m.