Georgia woman, 81, votes for first time in decades

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There’s a first time for everything.

For 81-year-old Betty Cartledge of Newton County, Ga., it’s voting for the first time after her husband, William, barred her from doing so.

Wiliam, a Korean War veteran, had told his bride he didn’t think she should vote. So, as a couple, they both didn’t vote.

“I was married to him (William) for 64 years. I knew everything about him. But that was something he never discussed and never wanted to do,” Cartledge told The Washington Post.

On Wednesday, Cartledge registered to vote ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election with the aid of her niece, Wanda Moore. The senior was taken to an early voting station in Covington, Ga., where 600,0000 people turned out in the first two days of early voting.

“I’m 81 today, but Sunday I’ll be 82,” Cartledge told WSB-TV. “I was so young and everything when we got married, I never really thought about it. And then I got old, and I thought that it wouldn’t count to vote.”

She said voting made her “feel like I was American” and she was sorry she had waited so long to do so.

“I wish I had done it before now,” said Cartledge. “It was neat, it was good. If I’m here, I’ll be back again.”