Tears alert.  This just came to my Inbox, via GWP’s Virginia Rutter, via Talking Points Memo.  Someone in Maryland wrote in:

My polling place is at the fairgrounds in Southern Maryland, about 40 minutes from Washington, D.C. This used to be tobacco country, but is slowly being developed, or other crops are grown. We waited until 10:00 to vote, to avoid the lines. When we got there a 97-year-old Black man was being wheeled out of the polls in his wheelchair. It was the first time he had ever voted in his life. When he came outside he asked if anyone could give him an Obama button. There were none left at the Democrat’s booth so I gave him mine. He was so proud and I started crying. He looked at me and said, “why are you crying? this is a day for glory.” I am still crying.

Writes Anniegirl, via Canada (and Annie, we at GWP are so very sorry for your loss, and send you comfort and love):

I voted absentee a couple of weeks ago because I live in Canada. Around that same time, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He refused to get an absentee ballot, insisting that he would cast his vote in person even though we all knew he would not live that long. When I cast my vote, I thought of him and his desire for change and to “vote out all those incumbents” who he felt were responsible for the troubles of America right now. So, I voted as he would have had he lived to see today. He died a week ago but not before I told him I had voted for us.

Writes Afrogeek Mom and Dad:

The women who helped raise me had such simple, yet profound, dreams for me and for themselves–to vote, to ride in a big boat, to marry someone I love rather than someone who can take care of me–that it seems almost unbelievable that I got to vote for a major party black candidate for president this morning. These women cleaned white people’s houses all their lives and never did get to see that I grew up to be a college professor and the first black women to do a lot of things (a surprising number of things, really, considering that I was born in 1973, not 1903). But I hope they were watching somewhere this morning as I took their great-great-granddaughter into vote.

Writes my Dad, from Chicago:

This morning, as on all election day mornings, I wanted to be at the poll when it opened at 6:00AM. It’s part of the pride I feel in being able to vote. When I go I always think of my father who spent 2 years in Europe, during my childhood, fighting in WWII in order to preserve our way of life. Usually I get to the poll at 5:45 and am first in line. Today I decided there might be a few folks ahead of me so I arrived at 5:30AM. To my surprise 5 people were already there. I was stunned. “What is happening?” I wondered. Shortly after 6:00, when I finished my vote, well over 100 people we waiting in line.

Worries Heather in MI, “I just hope it goes that quickly everywhere, so those that can’t afford to take 3 or 4 hours off from work will all get to vote, too.”

Writes GWP’s Allison Kimmich in NJ, ” I think this election is going to introduce us to democracy’s real potential.”  Kristen and Caroline feel like “kids on Christmas.”

Says Frau Sally, “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so emotional over this election until today. I’ve been a teary mess all day.”

Says GWP’s Virginia Rutter in MA, “I have this delusion that every single person I see feels as joyful as I do, and in my eyes they are all smiling with the same connection to the day, the moment of having the opportunity to cast an historic vote, and obtain an historic, and game changing result.”

Writes Faith in the NY suburbs, “Husband voted at a different location and the person working the table said he was #135 around 9am. Working guy also said that last election they only had about 200 people show up total.”

Writes GWP’s Jacqueline Hudak, “Contemplating driving into the city to be outside in Times Square – kinda longin’ to be outside, celebrating with kindred spirits…I’ve been waiting for folks to take to the streets – seems like tonight’s the night!.”

And here are some more great voting stories from Gloria Feldt, Courtney and Samhita over at feministing, PunditMom, and about 400 more at Talking Points Memo, including this tearjerker one Marco just sent me.

Thanks to everyone who posted their stories here with us today! And if you got em and haven’t posted em, we still wanna hear!