What it Feels like to be a First Time Voter: My First Election as an Eighteen Year Old by Ri Wescott 

The day before Election Day:

I registered to vote last month following my eighteenth birthday in the middle of October. I am aware how important it is to vote so registering was on the top of my list of to-dos once I became of age. I had gotten an infographic in the mail explaining to me how to register online to vote in Pennsylvania. First, I went to this voter registration website where you fill out basic information about yourself (full name, birth date, phone number, etc.) before it makes sure you're eligible to vote by asking some questions (are you a US citizen, are you 18 or older). Once that is filled out, you will pick the political party you would like to be affiliated with; this is an important question because depending on which you choose will determine the people you can vote for in certain elections. Though it is hard to agree with 100% of what the parties believe, it is smart to go with the party you feel most fits with what you believe in. Later in the form, you can choose to help work at poll booths, which I was unaware was an option for someone like me! Though I chose not to be a poll worker for this election, it is interesting to know that it is something I could choose to do in the future.

Once you are done with that form and it is turned in, the Registrar of Voters will take a couple of days to review your information, and about a week or so later you should receive a voter registration card in the mail confirming that you are registered and ready to vote on the next election day. Once election day is getting close, the ROV will send vote by mail ballots (plus instructions on what to do with the ballots) to any registered voters to use if they choose to vote by mail; however, I will be voting in person tomorrow, November 8th, 2022, for the first time. If you didn’t know, election days always happen on the first Tuesday of November unless the first Tuesday of the month is November 1st. 

I have seen what it is like to vote when I went with my parents to vote in the past. I know that our polling location–based on where we live–is the church next to our high school. We wait in a line outside until we make it to a table with a worker sitting at it. From my memory, I believe they give you a ballot and show you to a booth where you can go for privacy. The ballots are white with red bubbles and the names of the candidates written in black letters. You take a pencil and fill in the bubble for the people you choose to vote for (similar to how you would with an answer on a scantron sheet). The last part is fuzzy in my memory but I believe you give your ballot back to the poll worker and they take it, put it in an envelope for privacy, and put it somewhere safe like a box. I wonder how accurate my memory of this process is. 

I made sure to do some research on the people I know will be running so that I know who I will be voting for before I get into my booth. As a democracy, voting is so important for everyone because it decides who will be representing us and calling all of the shots for us as the people. You want to vote for someone who actively represents the things you believe in so that when they are in power, they will be a good leader for the people. You shouldn’t be voting based on what your parents, friends, or loved ones believe are good. You shouldn’t vote for someone based on looks or how well they speak. You shouldn’t vote for someone because of things people say on the internet or social media. Do research. Understand what the candidates stand for before deciding who you vote for.

The three main elections that will be on the ballot for Tuesday's election in Pennsylvania are the race for a Senate seat (John Fetterman vs. Dr. Oz), State representative (Matt Cartwright vs. John Bognet), and Governor (Josh Shapiro vs. Doug Mastriano). Though there are other people running in these races who fall under other parties such as Libertarians or the Green party, these are the main two Democrat and Republican candidates in this week's election. 

I am excited to vote and have my voice heard politically since we live in such a divided and tense political climate. If you are turning 18 soon, please please please register to vote! It is so important! After I vote tomorrow, I will write a response to this initial journal entry explaining my thoughts post-voting. 

Election Day, Post-Voting:

I voted! Though I didn’t get an “I voted” sticker :( It definitely was an interesting experience that I will remember for a while. It was pretty different from what I remembered. After my parents returned home from work, the three of us left together and arrived at our polling location around 5:30. It was already dark out and pretty cold so the line had made its way inside so that no one would be waiting in the cold. We waited in line for about fifteen minutes before we were at the front and I was asked to show my ID. Since my parents have been voting for over thirty years, they didn’t have to show Identification; but because they knew it was my first time, they had to check if I was truly over 18. Once they made sure I was registered and old enough, I was given a ballot and told to go to one of the open boxes. The privacy boxes were covered on every side so no one can peek over your shoulder. There was a black pen within the booth that I would use to fill in the ballot once I read over the directions. One thing that surprised me was that you didn’t have to put your name anywhere on the ballot, only who you are voting for. The directions stated to fill in any bubbles in only black ink pen and to ensure the bubbles are filled fully; if there is an incorrect stroke made, you should ask for a new ballot rather than trying to cross it out. There were actually 5 different races (not 3) on the ballot, though I knew who I was voting for before I got to the booth. It took less than a minute and was so easy! If you are over 18 and are thinking about voting, it should be a no brainer since it's so quick, simple, and important. Once I was done, I brought my ballot over to the machine and was told to put it in face up. The machine took my ballot and stored it with all the others. I found out that I was the 676th voter at my polling place; that information is very interesting because it allows me to think about how many people voted before me and how many will vote after me in the couple hours before the polls close. I am currently following the races online through credible news sources and hope that my voting made an important impact on the results of this election! I hope you all consider voting and register as soon as possible after you become of age. To all future elections in which I will vote!