Deanna Young has spent the last few years shuffling in and out of hospitals.
Trying to get healthy has led to some missed opportunities — including the chance to exercise her voting rights in 2016. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, Young refused to miss out a second time.
“I was really upset that I missed the 2016 election, especially with who was running for office,” Young said. “And I wasn’t willing to miss this one also. It’s too important.”
Young was among five patients at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center who refused to let their illnesses keep them from casting votes in the 2018 midterm election. After receiving and completing their mail-in ballots the day before, the patients on Tuesday gave their ballots to hospital staffers, who mailed them before polls closed. They then proudly put their “I voted” stickers on their hospital gowns.
“I’ve been voting since voting became a thing. When did that start? 1816 or so? That’s how long I’ve been doing this,” joked Ralph Royston, who opted to get some exercise by walking his ballot to the front desk. “Whatever your views are, your vote can cancel out my vote. So if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”
Young, a mother of two, stressed the importance of the younger generation to get out and cast their votes, especially in the tense political climate.
“To kids who don’t think they need to vote, turn on the television and look at the immigrant children who are separated from their families and say it doesn’t matter if you vote or not,” she said. “I’ve spent enough time stressing the importance of voting to my own children.”
Ralph Bradley, another hospital voter, also emphasized the need for younger folks to vote. Bradley has long been involved with local politics, including as a Carson activist — making sure his voice is heard.
“These politicians are strongmen,” he said. “They’re counting on people who don’t think their vote matters.
“Its not going to be someone from another country that fixes our problems,” Bradley added. “The change has to start here with you.”
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