I won’t say my voting experience today was markedly different than the last time around, but I can’t ignore the vibe I picked up within my polling location.

There was a palpable, genuine enthusiasm for the political process in the area. Turnout statistics might soon prove that there wasn’t enough of that energy going around, but the smiles of fellow voters and those who volunteered at stations told me enough. Participants didn’t voice nearly as much, but they seemed outwardly congratulatory and relieved that another citizen decided to exercise the right to vote.

That emotion is bipartisan and, unlike other elements of campaign season, has nothing to do with alleged scandals or out-of-context quotes. Even if it was  temporary, the mood around the booths tempered my fear that we comprise a country that is more concerned about the dirty laundry of celebrities than selecting the individuals whose decisions will impact most facets of our lives.

-- Brandon C. Baker
    Business Editor