In honor of Ava -- Let's all tell our "First Vote" stories [View All]

[dawgmom]

Ava, that's very cool that you're so excited about voting. I find it truly touching, and it reminds me a lot of myself.

My first vote for President almost didn't happen. It was 1976, and Jimmy Carter was running against the incumbent President, Gerald Ford. I was in college about 180 miles from my hometown, and my absentee ballot never arrived. So, a friend and I borrowed a broken down heap of a car from somebody, skipped our afternoon classes, and drove North so I could vote. No WAY was I going to miss voting in my first Presidential election. I voted, and we turned right around and drove back to campus -- except the car broke down about halfway and we were stranded until nearly Midnight in some podunk little Indiana town, desperately trying to find out who had won the election. But you know....it was worth it, and I'd do it all over again.