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