I’ll never forget the first election I voted in

There are certain moments in my life I will never forget. Passing my road test, graduating high school, and getting accepted to college are just a few of the many […]

There are certain moments in my life I will never forget. Passing my road test, graduating high school, and getting accepted to college are just a few of the many that will stay in my mind forever. Recently added to this list of unforgettable moments is the day I voted in my first presidential election.

I am not a very politically engaged person, yet I still promised myself I would vote. I didn’t really pay much attention to the election until this past spring, but from gradually watching and reading more about the candidates I began to understand what I was dealing with.

This was the first time a woman was the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States. This was also the first time a man without military or government experience was running for president. In my opinion, that’s something very memorable. Many of the nation’s young voters did not intend on voting, as they did not agree with either of the candidate’s policies. Still, I wanted to uphold my civic duty.

Coming from a household where I am constantly reminded women have the power to do anything, my choice of candidate was made very easy. I wanted to (and still intend to) set the same examples my mother set for me for my daughters, showing them women really can break glass ceilings. That’s why I decided to vote in Wisconsin, a swing state, and not my home state New York. I wanted my vote to really matter.

I’ll never forget going to vote a week before the election and proudly sending my family a selfie of my “I VOTED” sticker seconds after. I’ll never forget sitting by the TV until 2am on Tuesday night while attempting to study for my legal studies exam the next day, but getting distracted as states turned red and blue. I’ll never forget going to bed feeling anxious, and waking up to my mom’s text saying, “Good luck today. It’s a new world. Fasten your seat belt.”

 

The actual pic I sent after voting!

Despite the outcome of the election, I am happy to say I voted and stuck with what I believe in. I guess that’s also something I’ll also always do, push for my ideas no matter what the majority thinks. When I tell the story of the first time I voted, it will be an election people years from now will immediately recognize and read about in their textbooks. It will be a moment I’ll never forget. So, even if you don’t like the outcome of this election, you can still hold onto this moment in history and take pride in participating in your civic duty.

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