| The story arc of Shades of Darkness, Shades | | | | Minnesota in 1998 because no one went to the |
| of Grace covers five years and three | | | | polls. Just the opposite, and for some, the |
| elections. Set in Minnesota, home to the | | | | realization of how important each vote is |
| nation's highest voter turn-out, the Pierson | | | | came when they voted for the former WWF |
| family understands that voting is not a right | | | | wrestler not expecting him to ever win. |
| but a privilege, and one they exercise | | | | |
| regularly. With 2008 a presidential election | | | | Some other great examples of a few votes |
| year, readers of the novel might view | | | | making a big difference: |
| Minnesota as an example for the rest of the | | | | |
| country to follow. | | | | In 2002, Dan Sparks was elected to the |
| | | | Minnesota State Senate by five votes, and |
| Nationally between 1960 and 2004, voter | | | | Mike McGinn won election by 35 votes. |
| participation in presidential election years | | | | |
| declined from 63.1% in 1960 to 55.3% in 2004. | | | | In 1999, Leslie Byrne was elected to the |
| There were encouraging blips, as percentages | | | | Virginia Senate by 37 votes. |
| rose between 2000 and 2004, from 51.3% to | | | | |
| 55.3%. Still, that pales in comparison to | | | | John F. Kennedy won the presidency in 1960 |
| Minnesota where a whooping 76.8% of the | | | | over Richard Nixon by a margin of less than |
| population voted in 2004, leading the country | | | | one vote per precinct. |
| in voter participation. | | | | |
| | | | One vote per precinct passed women's right to |
| The decline in U.S. voter participation | | | | vote in California in 1911. |
| didn't occur overnight and tangible factors | | | | |
| contribute. In the age of YouTube where every | | | | The presidential election of 2000 was a true |
| politician's foibles can be looped endlessly | | | | cliffhanger, too close to call the morning |
| on the Internet, voter cynicism is high. | | | | after. At the time, I was working as a course |
| Other factors in the nation's political | | | | developer for an international consulting |
| system also come into play, most notably the | | | | firm. A few days before the election, I asked |
| weakening of traditional party allegiances. | | | | a co-worker if he was planning to vote. He |
| Both the Democratic and Republic parties have | | | | said no, that his vote didn't matter. I |
| been losing clout for years. | | | | mentioned in passing that was too bad, |
| | | | because in other parts of the world people |
| In the novel, it's also clear that the | | | | are willing to die for the privilege to cast |
| Pierson family is active in DFL politics, | | | | their vote in a democratic election. The day |
| hosting fundraisers, handing out candidate | | | | after as the world waited in anticipation to |
| literature, and answering phones. Because | | | | see who the next President of the United |
| Minnesota has such stellar turnout, it seemed | | | | States would be, Chris informed he had |
| important to include this subplot. Rather | | | | decided to vote after all and was glad he |
| than focusing on the family's political | | | | did. |
| affiliation, I wanted readers to remember why | | | | |
| it's so essential to exercise a right too | | | | The voting sub-plot in Shades of Darkness |
| many of us take for granted, inspire them to | | | | helps describe the Pierson family's political |
| get involved, and remind people that every | | | | activism in a progressive state. But it also |
| vote does indeed count. | | | | serves as an impetus to get readers involved |
| | | | in their community and the world at large by |
| Don't believe your vote matters? Jesse "The | | | | implementing one of the most important |
| Body" Ventura didn't become Governor of | | | | privileges we as Americans have. |