The Legacy of Voting

The Legacy

I grew up in a household where voting was a big deal. I remember if my dad had to work the 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. shift on election day, he would get up extra early to be in line when the polls opened so he could cast his vote and still make it to work on time. Those were the days before early voting. These days, we have options and can choose our voting day.

This commitment to voting in my family goes all the way back to my great-grandfather who made sure that everyone in his household registered when they turned 18. He voted and encouraged his neighbors to vote. He passed in 1966, so those were the days when most southern Blacks were disenfranchised. Countless suffered and died for simply exercising their rights as United States citizens. These days, even as our rights continued to be threatened, we still have a lot less barriers to overcome than our ancestors did in the years before the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Passing It On

I'm thrilled to be passing on this tradition to my own children. It's Adrian’s first year as a voter and I was very proud to watch him make this milestone at the same precinct where I cast my first ballots. They make a big deal about first-timers. They ring the bell and cheer and take their photo for them to post to social media.

Vivien is not a brand new voter, but this is her first Presidential election. She also had to make the extra effort of transferring her registration from her college location to back home so that she could vote in person.

And finally, Zavia who was the first of us to vote this year. This is her second Presidential election , so she’s a veteran at this. She declined to mail in her ballot because she too wanted to vote in person.

Doing Our Part

Every election is important, but this is easily the most important election of our lifetime. No matter if you're a new voter, a voter who's never missed an election, or somewhere in between just get out there mark your ballot. It's your right AND your responsibility to let your voice be heard. It's that important!

Traci