A proud tradition

Well, the midterm election is over.It actually went pretty smoothly considering all the suspicions and fears surrounding voter integrity. There were a few glitches, but in our 250 years of elections in this country, this election will be no more than a blip on the radar screen.Some of the more dramatic election happenings in history were in presidential elections, of course. The stakes are higher and the drama is also heightened.For example, I was surprised to learn recently that Thomas Jefferson tied with Aaron Burr in the race to become the third president. In those days, the person with the most votes became president and the second highest became the V.P.In choosing the winner of the tie, Alexander Hamilton played a significant part: he hated both men but he trusted Burr less, so he supported Jefferson for president.When Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860, there was an immediate reaction from the southern states.

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