“By The People”
There are very few times when I go see a film and just walk and say “wow.” I did Wednesday night when I saw “By The People.” The 80-minute documentary is a behind the scenes look at the 2004 general election in Marion County. It centers on the Marion County Clerk’s Office headed by Doris Anne Sadler. I truly believe every citizen should see this film.
The movie shows us a look at election preparation and execution, from voting machines that act up to election inspectors who don’t show. It’s simply amazing that our elections go as smoothly as they do. There are so many possibilities for major disasters and the folks in the Clerk’s office who deserve a round of applause for carrying out the election.
The two scenes that I remember vividly are one where the phones go out at the Clerk’s Office and they have to scramble to communicate with the folks in the field. The second scene is when two traveling poll workers go to the county jail so inmates, not yet convicted, can vote. I died laughing when one inmate is asked if he needs help filling out his ballot and he says “no, I went to IU.” As a fighting Illini I took some pleasure in that.
But overall, this was a great film. I honestly think that if more people knew how much effort it took to carry out an election, more people would take democracy seriously and we would be a better nation for it.
“By the People” is definitely a film for the people.
