- April 19, 2024
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The Auletti family doesn't let differing opinions on the presidential race pull their family apart. Photo by Jacque Estes
The Auletti family doesn't let differing opinions on the presidential race pull their family apart. Photo by Jacque Estes
Second grade students at BTES cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, under "Supervisor of Elections" Chris Asseo, and "Assistant Supervisor of Elections" Anna Buck. Photo by Jacque Estes
There were no political signs in the front yard, or bumper stickers on the cars, but inside the house there were definite, opposing views on who should be the next president of the United States.
Darlene Benjamin, a teacher at Imagine Schools at Town Center, is a Democrat, and said she would be voting for Hilary Clinton. Her husband, Frank Auletti, night manager at Florida Hospital Flagler, is a Republican, and was voting for Donald Trump.
The political divide did not occur because of this election. For the most part the two have always voted from opposite sides of the aisle.
“My first election, I voted for Ross Perot, and that didn’t work out very well,” Auletti laughed.
The election process in this house is civil.
“I think we respect each other’s viewpoints,” Benjamin said. “I understand why he’s a Republican, and he understands why I am a Democrat.”
Voting for Clinton had a lot to do with her past work with developmentally disabled people, and the fact that she is a woman.
“I wish it was worth giving an independent a vote in this election, because they are both just so controversial,” Benjamin said.
The two have watched the debates in separate rooms, admitting that they often recorded them to watch in smaller segments.
“Trump wasn’t my first choice, by far,” Auletti said. “For the most part he’s doing what I would like him to do. I am for not having one big government telling everybody what to do.”
The couple’s twin children, Hannah and Gabe, both voted in mock elections in school.
“I just voted for a random third party -- Castle,” Hannah said.
Gabe chose not to divulge which of the candidates he cast his ballot for.
Wednesday morning was like any other for the family. Benjamin headed off to Imagine Schools at Town Center, and was unavailable for an after-election comment. Auletti had come in from his overnight shift at the hospital, but before he headed to bed, for some much needed sleep, he talked about the results and the future.
“I think people will see that Trump is not the racist and sexist that they all put him out to be. I really think this will be better than they expect, and I hope that we can come together,” Auletti said.
Auletti said he tried to explain things to his children as objectively as possible, and encouraged them to talk to other people.
“We’ve got to be a good example for civic duties,” Auletti said. “I don’t know if they learned anything from this election, because everything was over the top.”
One thing Auletti said he definitely will not miss about the past months, are the political commercials.
“I am looking forward to seeing nothing but regular car and banking commercials again,” Auletti said.
Second grade students at BTES cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, under "Supervisor of Elections" Chris Asseo, and "Assistant Supervisor of Elections" Anna Buck.
