# What was the first Presidential election in which you voted?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 2, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592 "2004-11-02T19:14:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/1 "2004-11-02T19:14:04Z")
Jimmy Carter vs. Gerald Ford, 1976.
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### Author:  [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/2 "2004-11-02T19:18:38Z")
Richard Nixon vs. George McGovern - 1972
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/3 "2004-11-02T19:19:31Z")
Same as **Labdad** - my freshman year in college first time around.
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### Author:  [@PigBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigBoy)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/4 "2004-11-02T19:19:40Z")
This one! I was a month and a half too young for 2000.
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/5 "2004-11-02T19:20:08Z")
Reagan v. Carter, 1980.
But I think I voted for John Anderson.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/6 "2004-11-02T19:21:38Z")
> [@PigBoy](#):
>
> This one! I was a month and a half too young for 2000.
I’m one year, eight months, and twenty-four days too young for this one.
Kerry/Edwards 2008: Four More Years!
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### Author:  [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/7 "2004-11-02T19:22:47Z")
Bush v. Kerry, 2004. I was only fifteen during the last election (ah, youth - when I didn’t have to worry about politics…;)).
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/8 "2004-11-02T19:25:32Z")
> [@romansperson](#):
>
> Reagan v. Carter, 1980.
>
> But I think I voted for John Anderson.
I was just 18 years, 4 months and definitely voted for Anderson.
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### Author:  [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/9 "2004-11-02T19:26:27Z")
1984, Reagan/Mondale.
It was by absentee ballot from New York State.
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### Author:  [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/10 "2004-11-02T19:26:42Z")
Reagan vs. Mondale, 1984 (and what a depressing matchup _that_ was)
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### Author:  [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/11 "2004-11-02T19:29:34Z")
This one, by absentee ballot. Though I admit I was tempted to send in my absentee ballot really really early, then register to vote in New Mexico, and see what happened.
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### Author:  [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/12 "2004-11-02T19:31:11Z")
Clinton v. Bush, 1992. It was so satisfying for the guy I voted for to win, after all the other elections in my memory had gone the other way. I’m looking forward to feeling again that way tonight!
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/13 "2004-11-02T19:32:18Z")
1984, Reagan and Bush against Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.
I was 19 years old, an idealistic just-out-of-college young woman.
Guess who I voted for. :smack:
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### Author:  [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/14 "2004-11-02T19:32:20Z")
1984 Regan vs Carter
I was racking my brains for a few minutes wondering how I possibly could have voted that election, even though I remembered doing it. Then DUH it hits me, voting age is 18 _not_ 21
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### Author:  [@MsPrufrock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsPrufrock)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/15 "2004-11-02T19:32:44Z")
Gore v. Bush 2000 - by absentee ballot!
This time around, I paid a LOT more attention, spent a LOT more time debating people and studied the issues fairly in depth…AND…voted in person. It was very exciting!
Yes, I know I’m a :wally ! 🙂
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/16 "2004-11-02T19:33:05Z")
Clinton v. Dole, 1996. My freshman year of college.
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### Author:  [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/17 "2004-11-02T19:34:59Z")
Clinton v. Bush, 1992. I was a college freshman.
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### Author:  [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/18 "2004-11-02T19:36:01Z")
1988, Bush I/Dukakis
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### Author:  [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/19 "2004-11-02T19:36:22Z")
Clinton v. Bush 1992. My, but that was a satisfactory election night. Here’s to hoping G.W. bows out as gracefully as his father 😉😛
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### Author:  [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)
#### Post date: [November 2, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/20 "2004-11-02T19:39:59Z")
Clinton v. Bush 1992. I was 29 years old.
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