Tuesday’s column: At 92, she’ll vote for the very first time
Elizabeth Daniels, 92, in her Salem apartment, where she keeps scores of picture of her large family. This election will be the first time the 92-year-old has ever voted.
Elizabeth Daniels is a feisty 92-year-old who lives on a tight budget in a small apartment in Salem. One of 11 children, she grew up on a farm in Meadowview, about 6 miles this side of Abingdon.
She’s raised four children, outlived two husbands, worked for 16 years in a grocery store on Colorado Street, and also at another one in Vinton. Daniels has seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She still gets around and her mind is sharp.
She attributes her long life and good health to never having smoked, or even tasted wine, beer or whiskey. She’s never had a cup of coffee. Her only vice is Diet Coke.
There’s one more thing Daniels has never done: voted in an election. This year she will.
A week from today, her son Bobby Weaver will pick up his mom and drive her to the polls at the Salem Civic Center. There, Daniels will cast a ballot for the very first time, in a state that has a good chance to decide the next president of the United States.
This raises many questions, most of which we will get to.
The first is, wasn’t she eager to vote when she came of age? Daniels told me it didn’t seem that important.
READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE.
October 30, 2012 - 6:00 AM
Good for her, but I don’t get the point of these stories. There was another one I saw where the woman was 108 voting for the first time. Yippee yay, but who cares. What a waste of a privilege.
Best wishes to Ms. Daniels!!
However, speaking of voting and who made & programed most of the voting machines being used, read the article linked below. Do you think the voting subversion has already started?
http://thegrio.com/2012/10/29/florida-early-vote-totals-revised-raising-questions/
Great column, Dan. I like that lady!
Heaven help me, I’m sort of in agreement with Mattyr. If coming of age smack during the rise of Nazi Germany doesn’t motivate you to exercise your vote, I don’t see what’s going on now that would.
Great column! I can see why you liked the story.
I grew up with and still know many more people who don’t vote than do. I was bursting at the seams to vote and have never missed one that I can recall. I do not understand it but I see it often. I think for her generation, the poll taxes and the overall impression that the poor and less educated were not “welcome” to vote played a role, as well as the feeling for many, many people that it “doesn’t matter they are all the same” is still very real.
I am glad she is voting, I am afraid of why. My heart cannot take much more hate, so thanks for not telling us.
Great column, Dan, one of your best.
My grandparents are about that same age, and still live in lovely Meadowview, on their own, in their own home. Regardless of political stance, that is how we all want to turn out, enjoy a long, healthy life.
Not sure how this lovely lady will vote, but it really doesn’t matter, she is a winner.
Sandi Saunders:
“I am glad she is voting, I am afraid of why.”
Perhap someone who has seen REAL depression is rightfully concerned about our absolutely out of control national debt. What perceived “hate” is bothering you?