The Yellow Cab Co. driver, Vlad, who conveyed Sindy Hawke from her home at the Santa Monica Motel to Barbara Bouer’s polling place garage was happy to help Sindy perform what he called “her civic duty.”

Vlad left Kiev in 1989 (the Wall fell and he was out) and became a citizen in the ’90s. He’s enjoyed the enfranchising privilege every year since then. Remembering that voter participation was “encouraged” (i.e. required) in the USSR, he never questioned his decision to take part in each election, but he also used that memory to guide his candidate choice.

“I voted absentee. It’s hard doing anything during the day because cab drivers have long hours.”

“I saw Communism and the soldiers’ badges, and I felt their hands on my shoulders. So i would never want to see anything close to that here.”

Here’s the brief vid Gaille Chua shot of my conversation with him:

Vlad the Cab Driver Speaks Voting from Gaille Chua on Vimeo.