# Who was the first person you ever voted for? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 12, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479 "2003-12-12T01:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/41 "2003-12-12T20:02:08Z")
I cast my first vote for the greatest living President, Ronald Wilson Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![slu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@slu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slu)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/42 "2003-12-12T20:12:56Z")
96 - Clinton. I walked around for months with a Dole-Kemp Sticker on my backpack at College because I was still brainwashed from my rural, upstate New York upbringing. Then I stepped into the booth and thought, “You know things are going pretty good. Why switch it up?”. I would vote for Bill again if given the chance. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/43 "2003-12-12T23:00:46Z")
1976 - Gerald Ford. As we all know, he lost to some peanut farmer. Now, how many of you can say you’ve MET the first person you voted for? I met President Ford in 1991 when he played in the Celebrity Pro-AM of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in Palm Springs. I was a reporter at that event for KDES Radio. Quite a thrill - he took time to sit down with me, the local reporter, and give me a very nice interview. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/44 "2003-12-12T23:39:22Z")
Dukakis. I was torn about that. It was early in my path to becoming the leftist I am today. Quayle was the deciding factor. If Bush or Dukakis died, who would make a better Prez, Quayle or Benson? ---
**Author:** ![lynxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@lynxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynxie)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/45 "2003-12-13T00:07:55Z")
pierre elliot trudeau. 1973ish ---
**Author:** ![Eman\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Eman\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eman_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/46 "2003-12-13T00:46:19Z")
Clinton '96. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/47 "2003-12-13T00:54:41Z")
1996 was the first year I could vote. Primary- Steve Forbes Prsidential - Bob Dole. ---
**Author:** ![myrnajean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@myrnajean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myrnajean)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/48 "2003-12-13T01:20:17Z")
Harold Washington, for Mayor of Chicago, in 1983. He came to my high school graduation. Made a speech and picked up a chicken leg from the buffet on the way out. God, I loved that guy. ---
**Author:** ![wakimika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@wakimika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakimika)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/49 "2003-12-13T01:30:19Z")
John Anderson in 1980. I still regret it. ---
**Author:** ![Harlow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Harlow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harlow)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/50 "2003-12-13T02:40:50Z")
Arnold Schwarzenegger! ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/51 "2003-12-13T02:56:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by improbably blonde \* > \*\ ***Eldrich Cleaver** The Peace And Freedom Party candidate when Hubert Humphry went against Nixon. > > It was a protest vote. People said it was wasted, but only the Nixon voters did “better” and they all regretted it later. \*\* Eldridge. But wo, you go girl! I used to write in Dick Gregory ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/52 "2003-12-13T02:57:55Z")
I turned 18 in Nov.of 1976.But it was weeks after the election so I had to wait. SO in 1980 I was thrilled to vote, I still love it,its exciting. But they sprayed a special mind numbing spray all over the city(and country) and my hand went down and voted for Reagan. I am still ashamed.☹ ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/53 "2003-12-13T03:36:30Z")
Hubert Huphrey in 1968. I worked my ass off for him, calling, handing out leaflets, etc. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/54 "2003-12-13T04:37:02Z")
President Reagan in 1988. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/55 "2003-12-13T04:37:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalhoun \* > \*\*Jimmy Carter, and I’ve never regretted it. \*\* Me too, in 1976 and again in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![Taran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Taran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taran)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/56 "2003-12-13T04:55:59Z")
Ross Perot in 1992. In my defense, I was about 8; it was one of those schoolwide fake-election things. He won in a landslide :eek: ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/57 "2003-12-13T05:19:48Z")
I’ve never voted due to living outside my country of citizenship (although I’ve been in the US for a while now) but I got my American citizenship about a year ago and I’m looking forward to voting for a Democrat in the next election (now a registered Independent). ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/58 "2003-12-13T09:03:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*President Reagan in 1988. \*\* All I can say is, I am glad he didn’t win again that year. 😛 Lok ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/59 "2003-12-13T18:10:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lok \* > \*\*All I can say is, I am glad he didn’t win again that year. 😛 > > Lok \*\* D’oh! :smack: That would be President G. H. W. Bush in 1988. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479/60 "2003-12-13T18:24:22Z")
My first big vote was Clinton in 92. Heheh, my polling place was my former high school and the lines to await your turn were killer long. I was 9+months pregnant at the time and couldn’t see my poor swollen ankles handling the standing around very well. So, I very quietly started pretending I was in labor, breathing audibly in a controlled rythmic manner, checking my wristwatch every 6 or 7 minutes as if I were timing contractions, etc. Sure enough, the people near me noticed and started asking if I needed an ambulance. I heroically assured them I was certain I had enough time to vote before delivering, repeating how important it was to me to get my vote in. I was herded to the next available booth immediately. Worked like a charm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-person-you-ever-voted-for/218479.md?page=4)