My Grandmother is a Registered Democrat

My grandmother was born in 1912. She suffered through both World Wars, the Great Depression, raised three children and worked in a factory most of her adult life. Her parents came from Eastern Europe, without a word of English between them, and they prospered, raising 12 children, all of whom became successful, productive members of society.

My grandmother's life led her to the opinion that there should be a 'hand-up' from the government, but no 'hand-outs'. There is only one instance of familial accord that I am aware of, between my father and my maternal grandmother. She fervently believed what went on in people's homes was none of the government's business, as long as no laws were being broken. Because of these opinions, she, like my father, voted Republican, through and through.

One might be tempted to think this is a wonderful story of an elderly person taking an active interest in the state of our nation. On a personal note, it is a wonderful example of family unity, where my father and his mother-in-law are in complete accord.

What makes this story not so wonderful is the fact that both my grandmother and my father are currently registered as Democrats in the great City of Chicago. What's so bad about that? Well, for one thing, my grandmother died in 1977, and my father died in 1990. More importantly, at their deaths, they were both registered Republicans.

Not only is this unequivocal proof of voter fraud, it is a personal insult. If possible, my grandmother and father would unite in death as they did on this one subject in life and rise from their graves and throttle the miscreant who dares to smear their names by casting votes for them as Democrats. I for one am staying far, far away from that particular cemetery for the time being. Talk about the unsettled dead!

How did this information come to light? Well, some half-wit had the audacity to mail the voter registration cards to the last known address on file for each of them, which happens to be the same house where my mother still lives. On the one hand, my mother got a chuckle out of the unneeded reminder of the corruption of the City of Chicago. She, who is a life-long registered Democrat also got a chuckle from the thought that she finally has the last word on the political debate that raged around our dinner table.

Everyone who lives in or hails from Chicago knows Mayor Daley is corrupt. Knows the 'Political Machine' in Chicago is alive and well. Knows Daley will never be convicted, much less removed from office except by death, as was his father. I admit to having voted for Daley time and again, despite this knowledge, not out of respect for or belief in Daley. But simply because Chicago Works. And because there has never been an opponent who was not equally corrupt.

"At least things get done" is the mantra of most Chicago Daley supporters. Whatever his faults, Daley has turned Chicago into a jewel, a truly world-class city. And his opponents have never been about change, about rooting out corruption. They have all been about removing Daley and his cronies so 'they and theirs' could get some. So, I voted, without a qualm, for Daley, as did the rest of my family, even those like my father and grandmother who were otherwise avowed Republicans.

'Vote Early, Vote Often', has been the only partly tongue-in-cheek expression of the voting system in that fair city for longer than I can remember. I remember being surprised to learn in Civics class that each person has only one vote. I truly thought that people were allowed to vote more than once, if they felt strongly enough about who they were voting for (or against). I don't recall thinking how many votes each person was allowed, but, I do remember my parents getting a good laugh at my confusion. I also remember that the conversation that followed swiftly flew over my head.

As a young adult, I remember going to the voting place, and being surprised that our next door neighbor of more than 20 years was an election judge. As she scanned the list to check off my name, I was shocked at seeing my grandmother's name, as she had been dead at that point for more than 10 years. I clearly recall the sneer I received from that neighbor when I asked her why she didn't say anything about this oversight of which she was well aware, as she had attended my grandmother's wake and funeral. I learned then and there that all the rumors and accusations about voter fraud and the Daley Political Machine were true, accurate and valid.

In subsequent elections, I paid attention when I was at the voting place. I looked for my grandmother's name, as well as my father's and was pleased to see their names were not on the rolls of registered voters. So it was with more than a little surprise that I discovered they are back on the voting roster. I guess it is appropriate, days before Halloween and Day of the Dead. There is macabre humor here, and luckily, my mother appreciates that flavor of humor above all others. I too, usually get a good laugh from gallows humor. Somehow, this time, I just can't muster a smile.