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