Brave Americans at the Voting Booth

By Mark Prior

It was November 1975, the first time a black man, Floyd McCree, was running for mayor in Flint, Michigan. Floyd was popular in the community as a champion of civil rights and fair housing, who was running against a “Law and Order” candidate who was also popular. Previously, the mayor had been mainly a ceremonial figurehead chosen by the city council, but from here on, the mayor would have actual executive authority over city operations. It was a turbulent time leading up to the election.

My mother had been working as a local election worker for the past ten years, fulfilling one of her many civic duties. Since I was between semesters at the University of Michigan and was back home in Flint, I signed up with my mother to work on the election. I would help with the setup and where needed, since I was tall and in excellent shape.

It was the day of the election, and the polling place was in an elementary school in a middle-class suburban neighborhood. As requested, I arrived an hour before the polls opened and worked on setting up tables and moving the voting booths into position. My mother and the more experienced workers were busy preparing voter registrations, ballot materials, and discussing how to handle the flow of voters. When my work was done, the election official pulled me aside and asked me a few questions, and because of my lack of experience, assigned me to greet and direct voters.

The day was uneventful until a young black woman came in with a much older black woman. The older woman was wearing a nice dress and using a walker. I greeted them with a smile and directed them to the short line at the registration table. While they were waiting, the younger woman and I engaged in casual conversation.

I noticed she was wearing a University of Michigan shirt, so I asked her about her major. Her voice rose. “I’m majoring in secondary education, and I would love to teach history someday. Stories like my grandmother's need to be told. She was born in 1873 in the Deep South. Her parents were former slaves on a cotton plantation and moved north to find work and a better life when she was twelve. Now at 102, she’s registered and is ready to vote for the black mayor. It will be the first time she has ever voted.” The older woman was listening intently. “That’s right, I’m ready.”

A booth became available, so I asked if she needed help. “No, I can do it on my own.” She moved slowly but steadily and entered the voting booth. I noticed she spent an extremely long time in the booth, so I looked around for my mother or the election official, but they were busy with other voters. I entered, saw that she was confused, and pointed to the black candidate on the ballot. Her hand shook violently as she tried and failed to punch the selection on the ballot. So, after looking around and after a brief hesitation, I punched the selection for her, even though I suspected it was against the rules, or even the law.

After they left, I thought about how, only ten years prior, they wouldn’t have allowed this woman to vote. I also thought about what the woman and her family must have gone through during the post-Civil War period in the Deep South. Sharecropping, Jim Crow laws, extreme poverty, segregation, violence, and intimidation were prevalent. Yet here she was, one of the brave Americans, casting her hard-earned vote for the future of her family, community, and country. After helping this lady vote, I felt like I had played a small part in this historical period and must share the story.

About Mark Prior:

Mark grew up in Flint, Michigan, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in computer information systems from Denver University. Mark is a former reading buddies coordinator and business analyst/tech writer who specialized in helping disadvantaged youth, wastewater treatment, and financial applications in Denver. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where he develops and shares his writing.

You can contact him at Markprior123@markpriorauthor.com or www.markpriorauthor.com to share information, provide feedback, and learn about current and upcoming work.