By Kaila Colbin
This essay was originally written as a LinkedIn post by Kaila.
The year: 2000. The election: U.S. President. The candidates: Albert Arnold Gore Jr. and George Walker Bush.
I live in Florida, but I’m on the road for a work trip, and I haven't voted. The absentee ballot is kind of a pain in the ass and — let’s be honest — my vote doesn’t matter, right?
It’s election night. I’m bar-hopping in the New Orleans French Quarter. We wander into the first bar where they’ve got CNN on TV, announcing the results state by state.
Breaking news: “CNN can confirm that Al Gore has won the state of Florida.”
"Whew," think I, a person who would have voted for Gore.
We finish our drinks, move onto the next bar. New breaking news: “Correction: it now appears George Bush has won Florida.”
"Darnit," think I. "Should’ve voted."