Remembering your first presidential election...

[atmeratus_x]

I've read several posts by first-time voters. Its encouraging to know there are folks who are as a young as I once was who are taking interest, taking action, and voting. You have my sincere respect and admiration.

I first voted in the presidential election of 1968 in Texas. I remember voting on one of those old huge mechanical lever-pull machines. By default, I voted for Hubert Humphrey on a straight Democratic ballot. HH was by far not my first choice. Although I was attracted by the RFK phenomenon, I eventually found myself a supporter of Eugene McCarthy. After a tumultous Democratic convention in Chicago, Humphrey emerged with the nomination. Although HH carried Texas, Nixon won the election. I'll never forget the despair and devastation we felt. I remember my mother saying "this isn't going to be good." And as we know now, every succeeding Republican administration has been an ever-escalating disaster for this country. I cannot tell you how important this election is - but I think you know.

If you're interested, Wikipedia has a short article about the 1968 election.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_U.S._Presidential_Election

So if you would, share your first presidential election memories and experiences with us.

Thanks for reading and sharing!

[dkofos]

1. Nixon Mcgovern 1972

[MgtPA]

11. Ditto.

[TheFarseer]

2. Dole/Clinton

voted for Dole. I was in highschool and didn't know anything!

[Buck Laser]

3. Kennedy-Nixon in 1960.

I was first eligible to vote in 1956, but didn't get the absentee ballot notarized. Had it been, my first presidential vote would have been for Eisenhower. But I grew up a lot between the ages of 21 and 25.

[Pyrzqxgl]

4. My first vote was for John Kennedy in the 1960 general election.

Interesting enough I started off a Hubert Humphrey supporter (he was the union backed candidate in the primaries that year), and was for a very brief
time an Adlai Stevenson supporter. I met John Kennedy at a Young Democrat event and he won me over by taking the time to talk to me (neither Hubert
or Adlai had given me even a word when I met them at similar events). Kennedy took the time to talk to a twenty year old who couldn't even vote for him in the primary. I got involved with the Kennedy campaign, worked for him, & voted for him in the fall.

[marlakay]

5. Carter was my first in 76 but I remember well the 72

one when i was 16. I was upset McGovern lost.

We were all sick from Watergate and everyone wanted an honest man in the office and thats why we picked Carter. Who I think did a great job of trying to green america. Reagan just undid all the good he set up.

It was wonderful having Carter's daughter there and I love kids in the white house. Can't wait for Obama's. I heard they are getting a new puppy and that will be lots of fun kid shots on the white house lawn.

[rug]

6. I remember my father yelling out the window at someone wearing an "I Like Ike" button.

[Mojorabbit]

7. Jimmy Carter

I had voted in midterms but that was my first presidential vote.

[chemp]

8. Carter/Reagan

Voted Carter because I didn't trust Reagan
Voted Mondale 'cause I knew Reagan was a crook
Voted for Dukakas because bush I is clearly a Nazi
Voted for Clinton because Bush I was a Nazi, a moron AND an asshole
Voted Nader because Clinton wasn't Lefty enough for me
Abstained from voting because i didn't know which candidate I wanted in the least. (my state was 63% Gore)
Voted Kerry because I wished I had voted for Gore.



And now, after all these years I get to vote for someone and not have to vote against someone.

[Itchinjim]

9. Carter/Reagan 1980

My first time voting. Being of draft age Reagan scared the shit out of me. I didn't get drafted, but in 1986 my union was effectivly busted and I pretty much lost everything. I've been waiting 28 years for a person like Obama to set things right again.

[plaintiff]

10. Voted absentee from Boot Camp for Barry Goldwater.

Yep, I sure as fuck did. He was a personal acquaintence of mine and I was carrying on my family republical tradition...what can I say?...I was a young idiotic prick and hadn't yet figured out politics. If it's any mitigation, I recovered from that shortly afterward and became a Democrat...and worked for years to convert my lifelong mom who worked on republican campaigns for much of her life...she finally figured out how they had played her for a sucker and was looking forward to voting Democratic this time around (she called Bush names I'd mostly seen only on bathroom walls) but passed away 2 months ago. I think she would have enjoyed being vindicated at long last.

[MgtPA]

15. Barry wasn 't as bad as the current gang of thugs. He was pretty vocal in his distain of the...

...neocons and fundies before he died.

[plaintiff]

23. Yes, he was. Not every republican in history was criminally insane.

some were just misguided.

[blue_onyx]

12. My first one was Kerry v. Bush

I became more interested in politics in 2003, around the start of the Iraq war. I was really excited to vote for my first president. I went to vote right after the polls opened, before my classes. Back during 2004, we used touch screens...we now use paper ballots that we then slide into a machine. I was disappointed that my first presidential selection didn't make it into the White House but my vote helped put Michigan in the Kerry column.

[tucsonlib]

13. McGovern/Nixon '72 ~ McGovern Benefit Concert

Still the best concert I've ever attended. Get this - SOLO sets by:

Paul Simon
Joni Mitchell
James Taylor

[sakabatou]

14. Obama/Biden 08

[book_worm]

16. I was first able to vote for Mondale in '84, but big Carter supporter as a kid

and '76 when I was 12 was the first election I participated in as a volunteer. I've always liked Mondale. He was a good Hubert Humphrey Labor Liberal. I was for him in '84. There were a couple of moments of hope during that campaign: after initially picking Ferarro he got a big bump in the polls and then the first debate with Reagan, Mondale clearly won it. Reagan was over programmed. Nancy famously screamed at his aides afterward saying, "What have you done with Ronnie!? You've shoved too many figures and statistics into his head." But on close examination Reagan's lapses during the first debate and the blankness on his face during some questions were an example, I believe, of early alzheimers. His age for a few days became an issue, but on the second and final debate Reagan was the old beloved Gipper again and had a ready quip when the age issue was raised and so he defused the issue. I was saddened that fighting Fritz as he was called only carried his homestate and DC (but happy that he at least did carry his home since some landslide losers don't even do that), and somewhat surprised because he had big enthusiastic crowds towards the end and was really in good populist form. But it was a crushing defeat.

[Sinti]

17. Reagan/Mondale 1984

Voted for Mondale, also worked on his campaign a bit - we all know how that turned out.. Had just turned 18 that summer, so it was the first time I was allowed, but I had been fascinated with politics since I was about 8 years old. Growing up in a very political family can do that to you. I got to sit in on a lot of congressional hearings as a kid, and thought it was fun. They don't play a fair game now like they did then.

I have to say, at the time I was amazed that I had the option in some cases to select Nazi Party and/or Communist Party - not that I would have. Having grown up in an anti-Communist world I was just shocked that it was an option.

Secondarily, coming from a family that lived through Nazism in Paris, I was shocked that Nazi Party was an option anywhere. Then again, I kind of wondered why they needed Nazi Party with Reagan/Bush on the ticket - just seemed redundant. :evilgrin:

[RBInMaine]

18. Dukakis '88 - Was away at college and voted absentee.

[deepthought42]

19. It should've been 2000...that's when I turned 18

but silly me, I didn't register in time cuz I thought "Who's gonna vote for Bush Jr.?" :banghead: Not that it would've mattered; MD went to Gore anyway, like I knew it would. So technically my first presidential election was 2004...

I would REALLY like for this one to actually go well... *sigh*

[WolverineDG]

20. Reagan/Mondale 1984

I missed the 1980 election by 4 months, not as bad as my friend whose 18th birthday was the day AFTER the election. There wasn't too much hoopla; everyone knew Reagan was going to win, but I was excited. I had to cut class that morning to vote, & got in line at the museum. There were about 50 people in line, but it moved quickly. I finally got checked in & led to a voting booth. My hands shook as I flipped the lever to close the curtains. I then spent the next few minutes just looking at the ballot before turning the levers. I must have taken too long because my mom called out & asked if I needed help. :blush: Apparently, someone said something to her & she responded loudly "Oh, it's okay; it's her first election." "Thanks mo-THER!!!" was my response. Everyone laughed. :blush: :blush: Then when I was done, I flipped the lever to open the curtains & emerged feeling like I was an adult for the first time in my life.

dg

[greenmutha]

21. Carter/Ford 1976

I voted for Carter (of course)! But the *most* memorable Presidential Election for me was Nixon/McGovern in 1972. I was one o'them damn :hippie: flower children but was not quite old enough to vote that year.

When Watergate broke, I remember buying a bumpersticker that said "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For McGovern!" even though I was too young to vote at the time. I had voted against the Vietnam War in my heart!

[NoPasaran]

22. Gene McCarthy, 1976

I didn't like Carter because of that creepy "born again" stuff. Little did I imagine that he was only scraping the surface of religous nutbarism.

Four years before that although I couldn't vote I was all for McGovern. Having my heart ripped out and stomped flat was my introduction to being a Texas Democrat, I guess.