# 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:** 4
### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/61 "2004-11-03T00:18:41Z")
1976, Ford vs. Carter. I voted for Ford.
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### Author:  [@gfloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gfloyd)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/62 "2004-11-03T00:39:05Z")
This one, I’m 19.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/63 "2004-11-03T00:53:14Z")
Nixon vs. McGovern, 1972. I was just 10 or so days shy of my 21st birthday then, so I was real glad that the voting age got lowered to 18 between my 18th birthday and 21st.
I voted for Nixon :eek: but it is somehow satisfying to know that he is no longer the worst president of my lifetime. 😃
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### Author:  [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/64 "2004-11-03T01:25:27Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> 1976 - Carter vs Ford.
>
> I voted for Ford.
Me too, except I voted for the other guy.
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### Author:  [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/65 "2004-11-03T02:01:12Z")
This one. I’m 19. **Catalyst** and I went and lost our voting virginity together. It was a beautiful moment.
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### Author:  [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/66 "2004-11-03T02:03:17Z")
> [@Searching For Truth](#):
>
> This one. I’m 19. **Catalyst** and I went and lost our voting virginity together. It was a beautiful moment.
Well, I’m glad _one_ of us enjoyed it; I’m still sore!
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### Author:  [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/67 "2004-11-03T02:04:51Z")
> [@Catalyst](#):
>
> Well, I’m glad _one_ of us enjoyed it; I’m still sore!
I know voting Democrat hurt you. But I’m still glad you did.
::coughs:: And now we return you, ladies and gentlemen, to your scheduled thread…
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### Author:  [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/68 "2004-11-03T04:30:15Z")
1980 Reagan / Carter.
Go Reagan, Rah Rah Rah!
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### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/69 "2004-11-03T04:57:03Z")
> [@Qwisp](#):
>
> 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
I admit, I am wondering how you voted then too, since Carter didn’t run in 84.
😛
Mine was 1980, I was 18 and voted for John Anderson.
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### Author:  [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/70 "2004-11-03T05:11:26Z")
> [@Lok](#):
>
> > [@Qwisp](#):
> >
> > 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
>
> I admit, I am wondering how you voted then too, since Carter didn’t run in 84.
> 😛
> Mine was 1980, I was 18 and voted for John Anderson.
I suppose it would be piling on to point out that Donald Regan (or anybody else name Regan) wasn’t running in 1984, either. 😉
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### Author:  [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/71 "2004-11-03T05:11:40Z")
1980 – I opted for Libertarian Ed Clark instead of either incumbent Jimmy Carter or eventual victor Ronald Reagan.
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### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/72 "2004-11-03T05:24:38Z")
> [@Steve MB](#):
>
> I suppose it would be piling on to point out that Donald Regan (or anybody else name Regan) wasn’t running in 1984, either. 😉
Yeah, I saw that, but was feeling generous. 😃
Lok
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### Author:  [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/73 "2004-11-03T07:59:55Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#):
>
> Same as **Labdad** - my freshman year in college first time around.
Same here :
Richard Nixon v. George McGovern, 1972
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### Author:  [@fc1114](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fc1114)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/74 "2004-11-03T08:03:45Z")
92 Clinton - Bush
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### Author:  [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/75 "2004-11-03T09:24:19Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> She says FDR vs. Thomas Dewey, 1944. “I voted Democrat just to annoy my parents.”
Well, I wasn’t but 6 years old at the time, but it was **Harry Truman vs. Thomas Dewey in 1944**
I first voted in 1968 (Nixon vs. somebody\*). 😛 but I voted for McGovern in 1972. 😉
😕 [sup] **Was it HHH?** [/sup]
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/76 "2004-11-03T13:01:09Z")
1976- voted for Jimmy Carter.
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### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/77 "2004-11-03T14:16:03Z")
> [@kniz](#):
>
> Well, I wasn’t but 6 years old at the time, but it was **Harry Truman vs. Thomas Dewey in 1944**
Well, _whatever_ the hell Roosevelt’s last time elected was, was Mom’s first. I thought he had four terms?
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### Author:  [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/78 "2004-11-03T14:28:32Z")
I voted in 1980.
I almost voted in 76 but my birthday was a few weeks past election day.
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### Author:  [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/79 "2004-11-03T15:38:42Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> Well, _whatever_ the hell Roosevelt’s last time elected was, was Mom’s first. I thought he had four terms?
He was. Dewey ran against Roosevelt in 1944 and lost. Truman was elected VP in that race. Roosevelt died barely into his last term, so while it could be said Truman was the Presidential candidate in 1944, that was not known to the general populace.
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-presidential-election-in-which-you-voted/272592/80 "2004-11-03T16:01:04Z")
> [@Mariemarie](#):
>
> 1980, Reagan vs. Carter. I voted for Carter.
> [@lieu](#):
>
> I cancelled **Mariemarie** ’s vote.
and I cancelled lieu’s cancel … then again I was also cancelled out.
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