Vote Purp.

As of Monday, Calgary has a new mayor, and for once, it's the guy I would've actually voted for. I used the word 'would've' because I failed at voting. Miserably.

I got up bright and early on Monday morning, and ran up to my voting station to place my ballot before 8:30AM. I was facing a long day at work, and wasn't sure I would be able to make it in time to vote in the evening. Too bad the polls didn't open until 10AM.
At 7PM, I ran as fast as I could to get back to my voting station. I got in lineup, ready and willing to place my ballot.
I know what you guys are thinking, but I didn't screw up my ballot by writing "yeah!" in the check-boxes instead of an 'x' (to be fair, I have made this mistake in the past). On a side note, I don't really think it's fair that you can only draw a check-mark or an 'x' to place a vote... They throw out your ballot if you don't mark the boxes properly! Ask any seven-year-old girl if a happy face or heart is just as valid as a check-mark or an 'x', and they will tell you what's up. Come on, now.
No, no, my friends... I did something far, far stupider than trying to 'spice up' my ballot paper. Far stupider.
I had only, shall we say, 'skimmed' my voter guide, and hadn't paid much attention to my appropriate location. When I gave my ID to the lady at the front, she looked at me with a panicked concern. "Sorry, honey," she said "You're at the wrong voting station". I asked if there was any way I could still vote. The polls were closing in minutes. The lady called over the head honcho, who shook his head in disgust at me, and turned me away (sorry, dude- that voter's guide was far too dry to read cover to cover- if they would've put some more pictures or a scratch-and-sniff motif in the booklet, I probably would've made it to the right place at the right time).
I was screwed...There was no way, on foot, that I could make it to my voting station before it closed. I walked home with my head down, terrified that my single vote would fuck up the results of the entire election. Imagine my relief when, at just after 10PM, Naheed Nenshi walked away with the victory by more than one vote.

I'm proud that Calgary finally decided to go against the 'wealthy middle-age white guy for mayor' grain. That shit didn't work two years ago, four years ago, forty years ago. Nenshi's an every-man's mayor; the kind of dude that would eat at a Chinese buffet and watch 30 Rock on a Thursday evening. The kind of guy that just may be able to get shit done. Dude is mad relateable.
He was raised in Marlborough, which gives him both street-cred and leading authority in Jamaican food. He is single, which means that he won't waste his breath trying to preserve 'family values' in the city. Fuckin' Bronconnier.
Plus, I can't wait to see how his dusky cinnamon complexion will contrast against the requisite giant white Stetson hat that he'll wear all throughout Stampede (probably beautifully).

Man, it's time this city shook things up a little bit, because we're the type of city who has a 'comfort zone' based on Budweiser, rodeos, Caucasians, suburbs, country music, SUVs, butter chicken, $1000 strollers, and absurdly shitty weather.
You've got a lot of work to do, Nenshi. Glad to have you on board.

~sarah p.