As a self-loving Scorpio, there’s no day more important to me than my birthday — Nov. 6, mark your calendars. However, it is quite unfortunate that the best day of the year always ends up falling on the same week of the election, if not on actual Election Day. I am all for exercising my constitutional right to vote, but I tend to be a little less enthusiastic about it when it overshadows the celebration of my life. Some elections have been particularly egregious in interfering with my birthday, and a few birthday-election experiences stick out in my mind. Some are good, some are bad, but all of them were certainly memorable.
The first Election Day I can recall was in 2012, which landed on my ninth birthday. That was when I first realized there was something arguably more important going on than just my cake and presents. I remember coming home from school that fateful Nov. 6 to my gifts lined up on my dining table, but instead of “Happy Birthday” playing in the background, all I could hear was election coverage playing on the news. My parents did their best to keep their attention on me, but it was clear they were distracted when I found their eyes drifting towards the TV. My mood was suddenly uplifted once the TV was turned off and it was time for dinner at my favorite local restaurant.
While out at dinner with my extended family, I contemptuously discovered all the adults entranced in conversation, trying to predict if Barack Obama would be re-elected as they hoped or if Mitt Romney would beat him out. After we got home and I blew out the candles on my cake, my parents immediately turned the news back on — much to my dismay. Everyone was tuned in, but it wasn’t to me. I couldn’t believe that everyone wanted to pay more attention to the news than to the birthday girl. I watched them celebrate as President Obama was re-elected and wondered what the big fuss was about.
After the celebrations died down and my family finally realized I wasn’t quite as ecstatic as they were, my sister explained exactly why the presidential election was kind of a big deal. After that, I started to come around to my election-birthday, realizing how this could work in my favor. The next day at school, I made sure to eagerly announce to everyone that my birthday was basically a national holiday so my special day wasn’t forgotten.
At the time, I didn’t quite understand what this election meant to my immigrant family, but now I understand the significance of the re-election of our nation’s first Black president over another white Republican. Looking back I remember this birthday much more fondly than I did at that time, knowing how special of a memory it was. It makes me feel a lot more important realizing that my birthday coincided with such a pivotal moment in our country’s history, so I don’t mind sharing the day as much as I did when I was younger. I remember witnessing the joy of my family on that Election Day and I wanted to be included in it. This, along with the real world issues that affect my family and I, drove me to become incredibly captivated by politics over the years.
Eight years and a couple high school government and economics classes later, I felt much more prepared by the time the 2020 election rolled around. Although I had missed the voting age requirement by a measly year and was unable to officially participate, I was following the election very closely. This was because the stark contrast between the two parties’ platforms made the race more polarizing than ever before, making me especially nervous. Luckily, Election Day that year fell three days before my birthday, so I was prepared to have a good chunk of time to sit with the results before celebrating my birthday. However, that year, the pandemic-induced mail-in ballot fiasco caused a painful four-day delay in announcing election outcomes, so we didn’t hear the results until Nov. 7, the day after my birthday. On top of that, Donald Trump’s deceptive tactics led to millions of Americans believing that the election was rigged, even before the results were finalized.
I vividly remember waking up on Nov. 7 after my birthday sleepover, surrounded by friends strewn across every inch of my bedroom. Our first order of business for that morning’s post-party debrief was to check the election results. I had just picked up my phone to check, but my best friend beat me to it and shouted out, “Joe Biden won!”
The relief I felt in that moment was indescribable. You would think that Harry Styles personally wished me a happy birthday with the way we were celebrating. I am far from a Joe Biden fan, but, at the time, a win was a win. Donald Trump’s platform endangered anyone who wasn’t a straight white cisgender man, so this election was incredibly important to me and my loved ones, most of whom don’t fit that mold. A Trump win would’ve not only ruined my birthday but also jeopardized my family and friends.
Election year always brings many anxieties, but the higher the risk the higher the payoff. It also serves as a great personal reminder, as I get to time my personal nagging with campaign nagging.
As soon as the political campaigning ramps up, I know it’s time to start pestering my family and friends about my birthday and what they’re going to get me. I definitely don’t appreciate being overshadowed by the presidential election every four years, but as someone who has long been interested in politics, it admittedly makes for some unforgettable birthdays.
So, while I am known to complain about the election interfering with my birthday celebrations, I know, deep down, that election birthdays are always the most fun. They tend to stick out in my mind the most, and reflecting on these experiences has made me realize how much I cherish these memories. Politics impacts every aspect of our lives whether or not we realize it, and having the biggest day of the year (my birthday) concur with the election reminds me of how lucky I am to even have the ability to vote and make my voice heard.
This year, I decided to approach my presidential election birthday with a new, positive attitude. It was my first time being of voting age, and being able to actually cast a vote for who I believe should be our nation’s president was so exciting. It also happened to be my 21st birthday, so hitting the polls and the club within 24 hours made for an especially noteworthy birthday.
