An 82-year-old Texas woman voted for the first time. Then she died. (voted republican)

[Demovictory9]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/06/an-year-old-texas-woman-voted-first-time-then-she-died/?utm_term=.c468da4b258e




When 82-year-old Gracie Lou Phillips returned from early voting last week in North Texas, she “danced a little jig” around her walker, then sat down and raised her fists into the air, her family said.

“I voted!” she declared.

Until then, Phillips, from Grand Prairie, had never cast a ballot — the result of misapprehension about voting and the belief that she didn’t have a voice, her family said.

But her son-in-law, Jeff Griffith, said that in recent years, voting had become extremely important to Phillips, and she wanted to have a say in the 2018 midterm elections.

So despite being gravely ill, Phillips cast her first-ever ballot during early voting Thursday in Grand Prairie.

On Monday, she died.


Gracie Lou Phillips, 82, holds up her "I Voted" sticker after casting her ballot during early voting in Grand Prairie, Tex. (Terri Griffith)
Phillips was a beautician; her husband, Bill, worked in construction.

They had their hands full caring for seven children, and Griffith said his mother-in-law never voted because her husband, before his death a decade ago, always worried that the couple would get called for jury duty and “not be able to make ends meet.” Plus, he did not want them to be political for fear that it might sway business, the family said.

[NurseJackie]

1. Pity...

... on both counts.

[Turbineguy]

2. Modern republicans.

They lived in fear.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. "worried that the couple would get called for jury duty"

THAT is an issue here in Philly (and probably other places). The concern that jury pools are being pulled from voter rolls. From what I gather from the state, they also use driver's license info and other things, but this is often why a number of people don't register nor vote here.

[DeminPennswoods]

5. That was me for awhile, but not jury duty

comes from driver's licenses, not voter rolls.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Here in Philly, they do use voter rolls

and if there is a mismatch between that and the driver's license, then people have gotten 2 summonses!

http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/philadelphia-jury-duty-summons-20180829.html

[Retrograde]

7. I want to be on a jury!

I've voted in every election I could since the early 1970s and I've never been on a jury. Closest I've come is once having to spend a day at the courthouse only to be told we were not needed - and that was over 25 years ago!

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Well for some in this big city

there is concern about being a juror for a criminal trial with gang-related (or other) prosecutions and they fear retribution.

[ecstatic]

17. Here's what I think got me placed on a jury:

Previously I had slithered my way out of it for various reasons, but this time, I didn't have an excuse. So when I got the jury duty notice, I answered the juror questionnaire online (rather than returning the requested information by mail). I think that's what sealed my fate. Had I not filled out the card online, especially so soon after receiving the notice, I'm sure I would have been dismissed prior to the beginning of jury duty. That being said, it was great to finally participate in our justice system. The case was regarding armed robbery and lasted 5 days.

[nolabear]

4. Well hey, I'm glad she found her voice.

I can’t be upset about any of this. She was vital to the end.

[backtoblue]

31. Agree with you nolabear.

[Shell_Seas]

6. R.I.P. Too bad her vote could hurt us.

[SunSeeker]

8. Gracie, you had a hard life because of Republican policies.

Unfortunate you did not see that.

[Aristus]

12. Looks like she had a hard life due to smoking, too.

I guess if it wasn't for bad choices, she would have made no choices at all.

[cwydro]

19. Wow, judgmental much?

She smoked, so what? Her choice.

I’ve never smoked, but sure as hell wouldn’t make a comment like, “if it weren’t for bad choices, she would have made no choices at all.” How do you know what she did in her life?

You post often about drinking - somehow you’re better than her?

I sure hope you don’t make judgmental comments like that to those who come to your clinic. Wow, smh.

[Aristus]

20. Well, first of all, unlike with tobacco, there is a safe, moderate level of alcohol consumption.

And pointing out smoking as a causative effect for patients complaining of coughing and shortness of breath (happens all the time... ) isn't judgement; it's cause and effect.

[cwydro]

21. You used her smoking to judge her lifetime choices, about which you know nothing.

At her age, she most likely started when smoking was not considered harmful. Then became addicted.

As a healthcare professional, perhaps you should have a better grasp on addiction.

I find someone making nasty judgements about an elderly woman whom he never knew to be distasteful.

[struggle4progress]

9. How could she not know she was allowed to vote?

The 19th amendment was ratified about 16 years before she was born

Until the early 1970s, the voting age was 21,so she could have voted beginning in the late 1950s

Didn't she ever read the newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch TV?

[maxsolomon]

11. Her husband sucked.

Poor lady; she drank his Kool-aid until the end, including voting for Fear.

If Cruz wins by one, it's on her.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

13. I know a pair of college professors who don't register

for fear of being called to jury duty.

People like that, regardless of their degree of education, are idiots.

I've been registered to vote for some 45 years now and I've only been called for jury duty once. Sigh. And I wasn't able to serve because I got called for a trial that was starting just a day before a family vacation for which all the travel arrangements had been made. I keep on hoping I'll actually get called again someday and get to be on a jury.

[RhodeIslandOne]

15. The ultimate Rethug health care plan

Die.

[meadowlark5]

16. That's sad. Too bad she couldn't see (as a person in ill health)

that the republicans are not a friend to people with pre-existing conditions, older on medicare/medicaid - like it looks like this woman is.

If she lived, she'd probably find that she would have to fight to get her oxygen tanks covered by medicare/medicaid.

[ecstatic]

18. smh. nt

[RainCaster]

22. It was the TrumpCare that allowed her to live so long

[BlueStater]

23. Her first and final vote ever and she votes for Ted fucking Cruz.

Ick.

[Meowmee]

24. I wish

She had not voted

[Blecht]

25. RIP

It's a shame she voted for that ratfucker Cruz, but she finally performed the civic duty she'd been neglecting for more than a half century.

What would make somebody vote for that guy? Bigotry, fear, idiocy, dementia, hatred of all that's good -- who knows? Texas is apparently almost half filled with people like her.

[GulfCoast66]

26. Not being religious but respecting Buddhist principles I hope she passed peacefully

That said, she is the poster child for the Republican Party; old and white.

Neither of those is good for the long term viability of the party.

[shanny]

27. Since she actually died prior to election day does her vote count?

Or is she one of those mythic deceased voters we always hear about.*

*I'm not very sympathetic to a woman who shirked her public duty for 50+ years and then finally exercised it by voting for Ted effing Cruz.

[Lithos]

28. yes, it counts

She was a tool her whole life and died a tool. But that is her karma. She is however a poster child for the GOP - aging, white, uneducated voter.

L-

[lame54]

33. She voted republican so...

Of course her vote will count

[Mr. Ected]

29. Emblematic of today's Republican Party

A dying breed, indeed.

[still_one]

30. Well she and her husband got their Medicare, so screw everyone else

[lame54]

32. Sounds like a final "fuck you" to the world

[unitedwethrive]

34. How sad to live your entire life in darkness and fearful of the 'others'.

I'd much rather be hopeful, even if that means constantly fighting off the dark side.