An 80-year-old Little Rock lady who registered to vote for the first time thinks it’s never too late to start

Little Rock, Arkansas – Super Tuesday voting turnout in the Hillcrest area was phenomenal.

Among them was Lesa Booker. In addition to being a family custom, voting on election day is a right that Booker, a former civics teacher, emphasized to numerous children.

“How important it is and how hard we’ve had to fight to be able to have the right to vote,” Booker noted.

Ida McFadden, who is 87 years old, is all too familiar with the conflict. Half a century ago, McFadden claimed, she was turned away at the polls while residing in Michigan.

“Went to vote, me and my husband, and they said we couldn’t vote,” McFadden said.

During the last election cycle, her daughter had to persuade her to try voting for the first time again.

“When she told me her story, and I asked her, ‘Do you want to vote?’ And she said, ‘Yeah if they let me.’ So I said, ‘Then you go vote,” Mills said.

Super Tuesday marked McFadden’s second voting experience.

“Oh, I felt good. I felt like somebody,” the 87-year-old said with a laugh.

Arkansas had the lowest percentage of eligible voters nationwide—54%—in the 2020 general election, according to a 2023 research by the National Conference of Citizenship. Interviewees on Tuesday expressed a desire to see that alter.

“Cast your vote. I don’t care who you vote for. Just go ahead and vote. Just do that,” Mills said.

They simply advise making sure the vote is well-informed. They said it’s easier than ever to hear from a candidate in the internet era.

“There’s not an excuse. The information is out there,” Booker said. “You’ve just got to go get it.”

When casting a ballot, voters must present either an Arkansas voter ID card or their driver’s license. To find the appropriate polling location for your address, visit the Secretary of State’s website and use the Voter View feature.