When you vote, you'll step into Lake County history

The first presidential election in the newly created United States of America was held in 1789.

Had you been an eligible citizen then, would you have voted for George Washington or John Adams?

In 2008, will you vote for Obama? Clinton? McCain? Someone else? Too early to tell, of course. But vote you must! Votes influence the future in ways we can only imagine when we cast them.

Consider how Lake County has developed since the first vote was taken here, in 1841, on the issue of the location of the county seat; Libertyville (then known as Burlington) vs. Waukegan (then known as Little Fort). In all, 744 votes were cast on the question. By a vote of 466-278, Waukegan was selected and the fledgling offices of county government were moved east to the shores of Lake Michigan.

The original tally document of the 1841 county seat vote is one of the treasures of the Lake County Discovery Museum. Handwritten in beautiful swirling script, the tally tells a tale of allegiance not evident at first glance.

The breakdown in Burlington (Libertyville) was 93 to 18 in favor of the county seat remaining in Libertyville. In Lake Zurich, farther west and south in the county, the vote was strong for Libertyville; 70 to 3. That makes sense from the pragmatic standpoint of the citizens of Lake Zurich not wanting to travel so far to conduct official business.

But Waukegan garnered the most votes, so the move was made. A substantial, neoclassical courthouse was built, the first structure in a long line of government buildings that define the face of Waukegan to this day.

Had Libertyville remained the county seat, think of how different it would be. It would arguably not be the cozy, familiar, slow-paced, primarily residential town it is, but would be characterized by the hustle and bustle, the buildings and offices of government.

What fascinates me is that the 744 Lake County citizens who voted that day in 1841 could not have imagined how their actions would influence everything else that came after. It's a tiny example, but makes for a good illustration about the importance of voting.

Make your voice heard; have your opinion register in the big continuum of the world. I call it "the power of the 744."