Why We Vote

Blog / Last Updated: October 13, 2020

As you can imagine, the League of Women Voters staff is full of passionate voters! As we approach Election Day 2020, we've made our voting plans, in some cases already cast our ballots, and are excited to talk about why voting is so important to our democracy. Below are a few stories from staff members about their favorite memory of the voting process we hope will inspire you as you plan to make your voice heard!

In the spring of 2017, when I brought my newborn daughter with me to vote in a local primary election. The poll workers offered to watch her while I voted, but I made sure to bring her in with me - and have done so every time I've voted since! She will know how important it is to vote for our future, our community, and our country."

^{—Maggie Bush, Programs & Outreach Director}

"As a child my parents always took me with them when they went to vote. Voting took place at my elementary school library and all of the poll workers were neighbors so it was an experience that felt very rooted in my immediate community. I loved the machine with its curtain, buttons, and levers and couldn’t wait to vote one day. When that day finally came, I voted in the same elementary school library on the same machines and with the same poll workers. It was a beautiful feeling of growing from an enthusiastic observer to even more enthusiastic participant."
—Christina Davis, Special Projects Manager

"When I was a kid, my mom took me and my brother with her when she went to vote. We got to do Kids Vote, with our own little polling booth and full ballot and everything. It really instilled in me a comfort level with the process and a sense of civic duty at a young age."
—Kayla Vix, Communications Manager

My parents became naturalized citizens in 2007 after studying hard in a language that wasn't their own. The work that went into this milestone taught all of us to never take our statuses for granted while keeping in mind our roots and heritage. The November election of 2008 was the first time my parents went into a voting booth, and they allowed me to stand next to them even though I wasn’t old enough to vote just yet. We stayed up late together that election night to watch history be made."
^{—Isamar Garcia-Hernandez, VOTE411 Coordinator}

"When I was a young child, I helped my mom register to vote. I believe this is the essence of American democracy. I still help her to engage in the Democratic process by providing her with key information to help her make electoral choices."
—Amilcar Guzman, Director of Outcomes & Evaluation

My favorite voting memories include my two boys. Living in a vote by mail state, we use the drop boxes in our county to return our ballots. The trip to the drop box is a family affair – we grab the dog and head out to the box nearest our house. The boys carry our ballots and love putting them into the slots. We use the walk to the drop box to explain what we’re doing and why it’s important to vote in each and every election. Our hope is we’re raising the next generation of active voters!"
^{—Megan Brown, VOTE411 Manager}

"My parents always instilled the importance of voting and how when I turned 18 I would be able to vote. My birthday is in the summer and when I turned 18 that year I was at the county fair and in the community tent when I was excited to discover I could register to vote. I registered immediately and have been excited to be a registered voter since then."
—Catherine Collins, Development Data Specialist

"The importance of voting was instilled in me at a very young age. Whenever my mom would go and vote she would bring me along with her. She would even bring me in the booth with her, and she would always say how important voting was. These were always such fun small adventures for me. I just can’t wait until the day I bring my kids with me to vote as well and pass down this mentality and tradition."
—Dylan Vargas, Legislative and Policy Coordinator

I'll never forget bringing my daughter to the polling place for the first time. She was only six months old, so of course she didn't know what was happening, but for me, it felt like the most important vote of my life. I wasn't just casting a ballot for candidates that aligned with my values; I was choosing leaders who would make decisions that could impact her future."
^{—Sarah Courtney, Senior Director of Communications & Digital Strategy}

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