A vote to remember

Tens of millions of Americans weren’t going to miss the chance to vote Tuesday or during the weeks leading up to Nov. 5 in what could be the most consequential election of their lifetimes.

Sierra Miller and Lillian Merow were among them, and believe it or not, voting in the 2024 presidential election might just have been more important to them than most.

The two Port Washington High School seniors turned 18 earlier this year and voted for their very first time in an election highlighted by a bitter race between a former president and the current vice president for the highest office in the land.

“When you turn 18, there’s really not a lot you can do,” Miller said. “I suppose I could get a tattoo now, but I don’t want one of those. The one thing I can do, though, is vote, and I wasn’t going to miss the chance to do that.”

Having the opportunity to exercise your right to vote is what turning 18 is all about, Merow said.

“Turning 18, I’m a legal adult now, but I’m still in school, so it’s not some huge thing. It’s not like I’m 21, Merow said.

“But I can vote now, and that’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. We learn about the political process all through high school, so it will be great to finally get to vote.”

Not willing to take any chances, Miller voted in her first election by casting an in-person absentee ballot last week.

“My parents wanted me to vote early because I had to register and things could be a little chaotic at the polls on Tuesday,” she said. “I also didn’t want to take any chances. Every vote counts, and if something came up and I missed my first election, that would have been terrible.”

Miller admits she was a little nervous at the polls and had to make a quick trip back home to get the ID she forgot.

“When I got my ballot, I thought, ‘What happens if I accidentally vote for the wrong person?’ but it turned out to be really simple and easy.”

Simple and easy because Miller did her homework.

“I did my research and I knew who I was voting for and I had my reasons,” she said.

Merow said earlier this week she was tempted to vote earlyt but decided her first vote would be cast on Nov. 5.

“I wanted to get it done with, but at the same time, it will be special for me to vote on Election Day,” she said.

Merow said she’s hardly a political junkie, but she has followed the presidential race in particular, watching the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and following the Republican and Democratic conventions.

“I’m not going to lie, I don’t keep up with politics that much,” she said. “But this presidential race affects me. I care about it, which is what makes voting in it really special.”

Miller said her decisions at the polls were influenced by her faith and by the challenges she anticipates facing in four years.

“I realize that after college I’ll be on my own and I don’t want to be facing huge debt,” she said. “I don’t want a struggling economy because, as a young person, things will already be difficult for me.”

Merow doesn’t discuss her political views publicly, and, in fact, she and Miller    said they shy away from talking politics, even with friends.

And who can blame them.

Although Miller and Merow are too young to remember a time when political discourse was far more civil, even they are turned off by the vitriol of an election marked by name calling, division and lies.

“It’s really disappointing and a little bit scary,” Miller said. “People today think you can’t just have different opinions. If someone disagrees with you, they just shove it in your face. It gets downright violent sometimes. There’s just so much division.”

Merow said, “It bothers me. When you see how divided our country is, it’s too much and not necessary.”

In terms of tolerance, she said, her generation might have some lessons to offer.

“I think my generation lets people be people,” Merow said. “At our age, we understand people are different and that it’s OK to be different.

“It’s not the end of the world if you don’t agree. This is America after all.”

But Miller and Merow said they are not about to let political rancor stop them from participating in the process.

Both come from families with strong voting ethics, which they’ve taken note of as they have come of age.

“I was always jealous when my parents came home with ‘I voted’ stickers,” Miller, who has pinned her first sticker to a board in her room, said.

“It’s pretty amazing that there are people who have voted in every election in their lives, but at the same time there are people who are 30 or 40 and have never voted before. Some of my friends are like, ‘I’m not going to vote because I just don’t care.’ Personally, I care a lot.”

Missing an opportunity to vote, Merow said, would depreciate the importance of the right Americans have to chose their leaders.

“In a lot of countries, people don’t have a say, they can’t decide on anything, so it’s important to utilize the right we have,” she said. “I plan to vote regularly. I hope I stick to that.”

Even years from now, after casting many ballots, Miller and Merow say they will remember their first vote.

“I’m definitely going to remember this one,” Miller said. “There’s just so much chaos surrounding this election.”

Merow said, “This is a really special vote for me. This is a monumental election — a former president running against a woman for president.

“I will definitely remember this election, and I’m so excited to get my ‘I voted’ sticker.”