Tomorrow is a very special day for me. That is because, first and foremost, I am an American. On Tuesday I get a chance to cast my ballot. It is something I have done religiously since I turned 18.
Actually it’s something that was drilled into me by my mother. She never missed an election, and made sure her children did not either. To her, politics was serious business. The right to vote was precious. It’s something that tomorrow’s turnout numbers will unfortunately once again prove to be waning in this country. And that’s a dangerous thing.
It is also a very important day because I happen to be a journalist. Yes, I know there are many out there who would like to question that statement. Many of them have been posting comments on our website questioning my sanity, let alone my credentials, in the wake of our editorial endorsements and our call for readers to join us in that process.
Election day has always been an intoxicating day in the news business. The technology we are swimming in makes it even more so.
There was a time when we would sit around the newsroom for hours, content to think deep thoughts and chew the fat until results began to trickle in after the polls closed. Then there would be the mad dash to deadline.
We still have the mad dash, now we just spread it out throughout the day. We have the ability to deliver news to our readers 24 hours a day, and Tuesday we will try to prove it.
We once again will be working throughout the day to bring readers the latest in these crucial mid-term elections.
I once again will be blogging live throughout the day here in The Heron’s Nest. I’ll let you know how many people will be joining me at the polls at 7 a.m.
I’d also like to see readers continue to take an active role in our coverage. If you see something of note during the day, feel free to send me an e-mail at editor@delcotimes.com. Feel free to submit photos and video as well.
I will be joined blogging by featured columnist Gil Spencer and his and his Spencerblog, as well as our lead political writers Alex Rose and Danielle Lynch on their Politics ’10 blog.
One of our community bloggers, Tedman O’Hara, will be providing live updates of the voting in the county seat via his AllThingsMediaPa blog.
Tomorrow night, we will utilize the technology to try something new for us, something I think readers might find useful.
I will be joined by Gil for a two-hour live stream on the Delco elections. Where exactly we’ll be we have not quite decided yet. My guess is that we’ll set up camp at either the GOP or Dem headquarters. The idea is to offer readers live results, commentary and analysis all through the night.
We’ll have interviews with candidates and party leaders as we try to sift through the results.
Most importantly, we’ll get information to our readers faster than ever. You won’t have to wait until Wednesday morning’s paper to find out who won, although we’ll still deliver our usual thorough wrap-up.
I invite you to tune in delcotimes.com Tuesday night from 9-11 p.m. for a new era in Delco journalism.
I’m not promising Huntley & Brinkley.
I’ll be happy just to survive it.
One more day, and then a dash to the finish.
As an American – and a journalist – I can’t wait.
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