For many people, voting can be an emotional process. It wasn't that long ago that large numbers of the U.S. population weren't allowed even that basic right, and entering the ballot on election day caused some people to reflect on what suffrage meant to them. On Twitter on Tuesday, many black voters shared their inspiration behind voting, and for a lot of them, it had to do with their family.
Many pointed to their grandmothers and their grandfathers, who trekked to the polls despite their age. Other black voters shared stories about the first person in their family who was legally allowed to vote.
Each black voter's inspiration for voting is different, but virtually every reason shared on Twitter was intensely personal. Many expressed that, in one way or another, they were carrying on family member's legacies. But others, like writer Ijeoma Oluo, reflected on the idea of a better future, writing that she voted because of her son.
On the subject of voting, she added that "until every adult American has the freedom - real freedom - to choose to vote, until everyone has access to a vote that counts, and until a safe and healthy future for our children who cannot vote is secured, my freedom will be an obligation. One I'm proud to fulfill."
A Dad Who Couldn't Vote
One voter said that his elderly father was on his mind.
Honoring A Great-Great-Great Grandfather
Another voter said that he was voting to keep his great-great-great grandfather's legacy alive.
One Woman's Good Attitude
One woman who sang her way through an inconvenience really caught attention.
For Family
Maryland's Democratic gubernatorial candidate reflected on his family's history of participating in the government.
A Father Who Lived Through Jim Crow
One voter reminisced about voting with his father.
Striking A Blow To White Privilege
One voter reflected on how his vote could help fight white privilege and white supremacy.
Voting For The Future
Oluo said she showed up to the polls for her son, who is too young to vote.
Though voting is a private act, it's one that has outward consequences. Those black voters who shared their thoughts about voting on Twitter showed they're deeply aware of not only their history, but of the impact of getting out and voting today.
