# What was the first election you voted in? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662 "2017-06-11T01:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/61 "2017-06-12T20:39:06Z")
Mid-Term elections, just post-Reagan; 1982. ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/62 "2017-06-12T21:09:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > 1. John Anderson. The only time I’ve ever voted for an independent or third party candidate. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/63 "2017-06-12T22:12:45Z")
> [@Mona\_Lott](#): > > 1972 for me. I voted for McGovern. Same for me – 1972 and McGovern. I’m curious, Mona – how old were you? I was a bit shy of my 19th birthday – which I mention only because if I had been born 4 years earlier, this would still have been the first presidential election that I could legally vote in. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/64 "2017-06-12T22:18:58Z")
The first election my paternal grandfather was eligible to vote was in 1884. I have no idea if he voted, or who he might have voted for. The first election my paternal grandmother could have voted in was 1920. No, Grandpa didn’t rob the cradle – my dad turned 9 earlier that year. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/65 "2017-06-13T02:26:38Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > Same for me – 1972 and McGovern. > > I’m curious, Mona – how old were you? I was a bit shy of my 19th birthday – which I mention only because if I had been born 4 years earlier, this would still have been the first presidential election that I could legally vote in. I was 22 years old in 1972. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/66 "2017-06-13T23:55:40Z")
1972, John Hospers. He was the Libertarian party’s first candidate and appeared on the ballot in exactly two states, one of which was Virginia. That also meant I voted for Tonie Nathan, the first woman and the first Jew to receive an [electoral college vote](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonie_Nathan#1972_vice-presidential_nomination). That was right around the time the federal voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 so I felt kind of cheated since I was 22 at the time and could have voted anyway. My brother was 19 and also voting for the first time. In true big brother fashion I tried to convince him he should vote the way I told him to, but he didn’t buy it for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Unabashed\_Fascist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c2a13f/32.png) [@Unabashed\_Fascist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unabashed_Fascist)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/67 "2017-06-14T00:23:53Z")
I’ve voted since 2008, but I’ve never actually voted _for_ any particular person; president or congress. I’ve only ever weighted in on the ballot measures. The rest I fill as **None of these options**. Since this is MPSIMS, I’ll avoid attempting to justify this politically. I’ll just say I’m a filthy fence-sitter, and leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![PAjoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pajoe/32/58_2.png) [@PAjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PAjoe)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/68 "2017-06-14T11:38:02Z")
1980 Presidential Election. David McReynolds of the Socialist Party. i was behind Carter until he revived the draft. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/69 "2017-06-15T04:59:32Z")
> [@PAjoe](#): > > 1980 Presidential Election. David McReynolds of the Socialist Party. i was behind Carter until he revived the draft. He revived registration, not the draft itself. ---
**Author:** ![PAjoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pajoe/32/58_2.png) [@PAjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PAjoe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/70 "2017-06-15T13:37:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > He revived registration, not the draft itself. Yes that is correct. I figured that an actual draft was right around the corner. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/71 "2017-06-15T13:44:38Z")
1972, McGovern. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/72 "2017-06-15T16:02:38Z")
My first election was 1998. The big deal was the Senate race. I voted for the Green Party candidate because I wasn’t impressed with the Democratic candidate and I couldn’t stand Liddy Dole. That’s the only time to date I’ve ever voted for the Green Party. My first presidential election was 2000 and I voted for Shrubya. That’s the only time to date I’ve ever voted for the Republican candidate. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/73 "2017-06-15T16:13:37Z")
The last one. Hillary. Never voted in any election before (been eligible since Bill Clinton was in office). Fuckhead got elected anyways. I shouldn’t have wasted my time. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/74 "2017-06-15T17:49:02Z")
I was two weeks too young to vote against Nixon in '68. Not surprisingly, then, I voted for McGovern in '72. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/75 "2017-06-15T18:00:46Z")
Mine was 96 when I voted for Clinton over Dole. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/76 "2017-06-16T03:38:33Z")
In 1952, voted for Ike. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/77 "2017-06-17T00:01:05Z")
Not an election but a referendum, [The Good Friday Agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Good_Friday_Agreement_referendum,_1998), in which I voted yes. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/78 "2017-06-17T04:13:39Z")
1978, voted for Jack Herrity in Va’s Tenth, who lost in a rout to Herb Harris. Also voted for John Warner, who won over Andy Miller for US Senate. (Was planning to vote for Dick Obenshain, but he died in a plane crash just before the election). ---
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/79 "2017-06-20T05:00:44Z")
1. I voted for the loser, a record I have only relinquished once. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662/80 "2017-06-20T14:44:59Z")
1. I was in a solid blue state and voted for whoever was running for the Green party. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-election-you-voted-in/788662.md?page=5)