I voted early for Barack Obama for reasons many of you have mentioned in your blogs - for a return to participatory democracy, care for the environment, wanting to end the war in Iraq, and his steady, educated, well-reasoned demeanor and superior intelligence which will help restore the US's standing in the world.

Months before, I spent many hours outside in the humid, hot Georgia summer getting college students and low-income residents (many African-American) registered to vote. I'm too young to have participated in the voter drives in the 60s, but wanted to be part of helping enfranchise people to vote in this election.

Working as a poll worker, I had the privilege of aiding about 6 elderly illiterate African-American new voters to cast their votes for Obama. I'll always remember their pride and sense of satisfaction after voting.

Our country and the world cannot afford another 4 years of Republican rule and their fascist pro-business tendencies at the expense of its citizens.