When you open your email somedays, there lies a surprise.  An old friend from kindergarten just sent me this photo.  Can you figure out which one grew up to be an anchorwoman?

I was in elementary school in Detroit.  I can remember the sheer delight and excitment of Halloween.  I am a sugar fiend.  The thought of getting all that candy kept me on a natural high for days before the big event. 

Even back in those days, our parents checked out our candy for safety (and probably to sneak a few pieces for themselves just as I did for my kids years later).  I can remember, to this day, which house gave what treat.  Every neighbor was a creature of habit then and gave out the same thing every year.  My favorite was the elderly lady five doors down.   Mrs. Wadley always gave us pennies.  That meant, when we ran out after days of gorging ourselves, we had money to go to the store and buy more.   And boy oh boy, could you ever buy a lot with those pennies: two pieces of charm gum, a pretzel stick, shoe string licorice.  Ah penny candy…

A few years back, an old friend from my earliest Detroit school days held a reunion in his home and brought many of us back together again after decades.  He’s the same friend who just sent me this photo.  Have you figured out which one is your anchor lady?  I’m the tall girl in the feathered headdress.  Be kind.  Happy Halloween!

Days before the election, we’re rehearsing our shots in the WOOD-TV-8 Studio.  We traditionally rehearse Mondays before Tuesday elections.  We set up our cameras with the anchors moving in and out of different areas on the set.  We run down who’s doing what, who’s going where, when, and how. But this time, we’re rehearsing days ahead.  That’s because this time, we’re so much more high tech. 

When I was a kid watching the election returns at home, the news anchors wrote on blackboards then whiteboards, on huge flip charts, then with felt-backed numbers.  Now, just wait til you see what’s new and improved compared to the last election we just covered: a huge monitor with four-way splits, a touch screen that reveals up-to-the-minute results county-by-county, and a map that turns colors as the states go Republican or Democratic. 

Besides five cameras in studio and one in the newsroom, we’re going to have another dozen satellite, live “eng” trucks (electronic news gathering), and roving cameras around the area as our reporters cover polling places, election clerks,  the hotly contested local races and issues, and the GOP and DEM parties where candidates always gather to watch the returns.  We’ll also be going live to where the presidential candidates are in Illinois and Arizona and we’ll be able to connect with sister stations across our state. 

Election night may be a nail-biter for voters, candidates, and political parties.  For us here at WOOD-TV-8 and woodtv.com, it is among the most important, coordinated, timed, planned, and executed few hours of our broadcast careers.   We are rehearsing and getting ready to roll.

You know that old saying, “Vote early and vote often.”  It’s always been a joke, but the laugh will be on us if we don’t allow ourselves enough time to vote at all. 

This year, the number of registered voters is record-breaking.  The projection of voter turnout is higher than ever.  History is definitely going to be made this November 4th.  We just have to make sure we’re all a part of it. 

Many an election, I run into my polling precinct and barely have a wait.  Then I dash off to the newsroom to start work.  This year, if I follow same-old same-old, I’ll miss my own news broadcast that night.  There is no doubt in my mind, it’s going to take a lot more time to get into that voting booth.  I can remember doing live broadcasts during previous presidential elections where long lines snaked through a whole gymnasium, down the hall, and out the door.  That’s going to seem like a cake walk compared to what we’re all in for this year.

I like to anticipate the time of day when there will be no crowd and then meander in and cast my ballot.  I don’t think there’s going to be any meandering come Decision 2008.  If you plan to vote before you’re on the job or in school, plan for possible tardiness at work and class.  If you are going over your lunch hour, you could be going without lunch.  If it’s before you pick up the kids at school, tell them to come pick you out in line at their school’s polling place.  If it’s after work, bring a pillow. 

As long as you’re in line just before 8pm, the polls can’t close on you.  You will vote, at last.  And that night, we will broadcast every last vote that’s counted.

I have four children.  All are eligible to vote and all will be away from home on election day.  So everyone of them filled out an absentee ballot.  I’ve been on them to get it in the mail asap so their vote counts.  One after another calls and asks, “Mom, how much postage do you think it needs?”  I checked with the post office.  It’s 59-cents for all ballots, no matter where they are in the country. 

I vote where my kids attended elementary school.  I used to pull them out of class and take them into the voting booth with me so they could see how it’s done.  I always made them promise not to tell anyone how Mom voted.  A part of me is disappointed my children won’t be back in that booth come Tuesday. 

Being there, casting my vote on the real day is the real thing for me.  There’s something about election day.  I really look forward to it.  I like going to my voting precinct, seeing the regulars (the election workers), chatting them up about turnout, running into my neighbors, checking the rolls to make sure my husband beat me to the polls (he’s an early riser), going into the booth and filling in the bubbles (we don’t have levers at my polling place), and then feeding my ballot into the counting machine to see what number voter I am.

 I know some states have several days of voting (wouldn’t that be convenient?).  But it’ll take something away from the process for me.  I want to vote on election day and then be in the newsroom that night as the results all start coming in.  Nothing compares to the real thing or that big night of coverage.  I’ll be seeing you then.

Guess what?  There are candidates on your ballot who aren’t campaigning, not one bit, nada.  They’re running for office, but you wouldn’t know it.  They’re not making any public appearances, not going door-to-door, not holding rallies or fundraisers, not spending any money on pamphlets, yard signs, phone calls, ads.   At least one I spoke with doesn’t have a computer or fax; another I spoke with hasn’t watched t.v. in twenty years and claims to be too busy to campaign.

So I felt compelled to ask, “Why is it you’re running for office?”  One told me to bring name recognition and to promote her third party.  When I asked another third party candidate why he’s running, he answered with a question mark.  

It brings me to this point.  For many third party candidates in your local races, the only way you’ll see or hear or read anything about them is because the media make sure we include them in our election coverage.  That’s the only way they’re on air, on line, or in the newspaper.  So check out this website and catch us on the air to see who’s who on your ballot.