2022 Election

Voting Brings Dedicated Couples to the Polling Site in Elbridge

By Polina Shemanova

Video

POLINA SHEMANOVA: Elbridge is a small town with just about five-thousand people residing. But it felt like all residents of the town came out to the fire station to vote this afternoon. One of the voters, John McMurty, says he wants to see the change in this country.

JOHN MCMURTY: Keep your finger on the pulse of the country. And… climate change, and environmental issues are very important to us. So we have to vote for the people who will do something about that.

SHEMANOVA: Born in Canada and now being an American citizen for over 75 years, McMurty says he values his rights in this country.

MCMURTY: I’m thankful I had the privilege to vote… many people don’t.

SHEMANOVA: His wife Meg McMurty brings the importance of parenting when it comes to voting.

MEG MCMURTY: Ever since I was a little kid it was always important to my parents, and I’ve modeled their philosophy.

SHEMANOVA: McMurty family who has been married for 55 years never misses an election day.

JOHN MCMURTY: We go together but we don’t always vote for the same people…

SHEMANOVA: Even though John and Meg are voting for different candidates, they emphasized how important is to practice voting. Reporting from Elbridge fire station for Democracy in Action, I’m Polina Shemanova.

ELBRIDGE, N.Y. (DIA) – Big day for people in the United States. It’s Election Day! And even for a small town with the population of less than 6,000 people, residents just keep coming to the polling site at the Elbridge Fire Station. People were coming with their kids, in groups, alone… But our attention fell on the 91-year-old John McMurty and his wife Meg McMurty, who came to vote together. They’ve been married for 55 years and go out in the community for every voting opportunity. However, that doesn’t mean their vote is identical.

“We go together but we don’t always vote for the same people…” said John McMurty.

McMurty was born in Canada but has been living in the United States for the past 75 years. As an American citizen, John said he is thankful to have the privilege to vote. His wife, Meg McMurty, took us back to her childhood where she explained how the importance of voting stuck in her head.

“Ever since I was a little kid it was always important to my parents,” said Meg McMurty. “And I’ve modeled their philosophy.”

Realizing how important is your right to vote, you need to understand why it is important. As John McMurty said, you don’t vote, you can’t complain. Be vocal, express your opinion, and take action.

“If you want to bring about change, you have to vote for a person for whom you think will make the change,” said John McMurty. “That’s why I vote.”

 

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