One Vote

The Americans participating in this timely documentary about Election Day 2016 may not support the same presidential candidate, but they all strongly agree on one thing: The ability to vote in this country is a precious thing, one to be cherished. Eschewing partisanship in favor of enfranchisement, One Vote exemplifies the best in people as they exercise, and facilitate others to exercise, the right to vote. From sea to shining sea, it follows a handful of diverse individuals at five locations across the nation. At some point, each of them explains the importance of casting your ballot, a civics lesson that appears to be effectively resonating this current election cycle.

First, there’s the determined Bondy family, living off the grid in remote Alaska. Starting at dawn, they travel 222 miles by dog sled, snowmobile, and car to reach the closest polling station, barely making it there in time. (On the way, they stop on the side of the road to shoot a caribou buck that will “fill the freezer” for the year.) Then there’s the ebullient James Higgins, proprietor of the Chicago tavern Club Lucky, one of the handful of bars in the country that double as a polling place on Election Day. (He treats the election volunteers and judges on the premises to cocktails after the polls close.) In Louisville, Kentucky, formerly incarcerated felon Michael Hiser casts his vote for the first time in his life after tirelessly working 11 years to bypass a state law prohibiting a person convicted of any felony from voting. In addition to his inspirational story (his post-poll tears will elicit some of your own), there’s the indomitable Dr. Brenda Williams, an African American grandmother in rural South Carolina who selflessly spends the day assisting those who would otherwise be disenfranchised due to illiteracy, incarceration, or misenforced personal identification requirements. She’s the undisputed unsung heroine of the movie, amazing in her energy, knowledge, and dedication to the cause. (She sings a mean gospel hymn, too.) And finally, there’s Warren Buffett – yes, that Warren Buffett – who organizes and underwrites the nonpartisan Drive 2 Vote campaign, which provides Omaha, Nebraska, voters free transportation to the polling booth. He’s the movie’s best-known hero, a friendly go-getter at 86 who’s game to have his photo taken with anyone boarding the trolley heading to the ballot box.

Director Woodhouse has no tricks up her sleeve here. There’s nothing fancy about One Vote. In an era in which voting rights are blatantly under attack, she and her colleagues have chosen to simply focus on the will of Americans to find ways to overcome the obstacles that inhibit the ability to cast their ballots. While systemic measures are still necessary to protect the right to vote, the positive message communicated in this documentary echoes one from a previous Election Day not so long ago: “Yes we can.”

One Vote is available now as a virtual cinema release.