The sun is bright, — the air is clear,
The darting swallows soar and sing.
And from the stately elms I hear
The bluebird prophesying Spring.
So blue yon winding river flows,
It seems an outlet from the sky,
Where waiting till the west-wind blows,
The freighted clouds at anchor lie.
All things are new; — the buds, the leaves,
That gild the elm-tree’s nodding crest,
And even the nest beneath the eaves; —
There are no birds in last year’s nest!
All things rejoice in youth and love,
The fullness of their first delight!
And learn from the soft heavens above
The melting tenderness of night.
Maiden, that read’st this simple rhyme,
Enjoy thy youth, it will not stay;
Enjoy the fragrance of thy prime,
For oh, it is not always May!
Enjoy the Spring of Love and Youth,
To some good angel leave the rest;
For Time will teach thee soon the truth,
There are no birds in last year’s nest
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Ballads and Other Poems (1842)
No hay pájaros en los nidos de antaño.
Spanish proverb
Ah, the lusty month of May, when a young person’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of voting.
Tuesday, May 18, is Election Day in Pennsylvania. It’s a primary, which normally means just choosing the various parties’ candidates for the November general election. And, there are in fact, many of those choices on the ballot. There are races for Pittsburgh mayor and Allegheny county sheriff, as well as the ever-perplexing races for judge. There may be additional races in your voting district.
However, there are also several important questions on the ballot for all voters, not just party members:
- Three (count ’em) proposed amendments to Pennsylvania’s constitution
- A state-wide referendum on emergency medical services companies
- An Allegheny County ordinance referendum on standards for the county jail
- A proposed Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter amendment on no-knock warrants
So, even independent voters have good reasons to go to the polls this month.
You can find sample ballots, your voter registration status, a polling place locator, and more at the following county website: www.alleghenycounty.us/elections/index.aspx. It’s also not too late to request a mail-in ballot (assuming you receive this by May 11).
You can find information on the candidates by checking the spam folder in your email program. Better yet, go to the following website, run by the venerable League of Women Voters, which has been helping voters make informed choices for over 100 years: www.vote411.org.
Well, that’s about all I have for May. Remember that we will have an informational AWCC Membership Meeting on Tuesday, May 11. Come for the information, stay for the virtual refreshments provided by our sergeant-at-arms, Colleen Storm. We’ll be sending the Zoom link for the meeting in an upcoming eNewsletter. I hope to see you then.
Bob Griewahn
President, AWCC