On Election Day, we are all in this together

Before I left the house Tuesday morning, I put up our American flag over the front porch and then stood back to watch it flap in the breeze.

I grew up on military bases, where almost every house had the flag on display most days.

It said something about us, I always thought. That we were all in this together.

At the polling place at the Tempe History Museum, Will and Erin Vucurevich of Tempe said they voted for two reasons: their faith and their children, ages 7 and 4.

“We’re working to make sure they grow up in a culture that values other human beings,” Will Vucurevich said. Both he and his wife are Democrats.

They snap off the TV news so their children don’t hear derogatory talk about women and immigrants.

“With our faith, we are called to love our neighbors, and this is one of the ways we do that,” he said.

So while in line to vote, they chatted with Frankie Altman, a lifelong Republican.

The first time she voted was in 1956, for Dwight Eisenhower. She stood in line for four hours in 2016 to vote for Trump.

“It was really a fun time,” said Altman, who is 83. She was disappointed when there was no line at all for the primary. She enjoys the camaraderie, no matter how people vote.

“I’m just so glad to see so many people turn out and vote,” Altman said. “You hope people are making good choices.”

Voting connects Hadassah Shaw, 21, to her community. Everyone gets excited about voting in presidential elections, she said, but local elections have a big impact on how we live.

Carolyn Martins, 72, mailed in her ballot but stopped at the poll to pick up a sticker. She pressed it to her shirt. She hopes people see it and vote.

“It is our responsibility,” Martins said.

Because we are all in this together. Reach Karina Bland at 602-444-8614 or karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com.