SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — For Melinda Bailey, voting is about more than casting a ballot. It is about the future her two young children will inherit.
Bailey, 39, arrived at Nottingham High School early Tuesday morning to vote before her day as a project manager got busy. She became emotional when talking about what motivated her to vote.
“I think, I think there’s a lot at stake,” Bailey said, fighting back tears.
Having two children has made voting especially important to Bailey in recent years. She hopes her vote will help shape policies that affect the next generation.
“I hope it helps shape environmental policy, legislation on artificial intelligence, boundaries for billionaires and the super wealthy, equality and fairness,” Bailey said.
Across Onondaga County, voters are heading to the polls to decide local races and ballot propositions, including measures that would establish term limits for the county executive and comptroller.
For Bailey, the issues extend beyond the immediate election. She said she has always believed voting matters, but recent years have made that responsibility feel more urgent.
“I definitely think it’s become more important to me recently,” Bailey said. “I definitely think it’s important, but it feels especially important right now.”
Bailey’s decision to vote early reflects a simple priority: making sure her voice is heard, even on a busy schedule.
For her, casting a ballot is one way to shape the world her children will grow up in.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Mother of two says her vote is about the future of her children
Maddie Rogers: Voting is often seen as a civic responsibility but for some, it means much more. I spoke to Melinda Bailey, a mother of two, about what voting means to her and the future of her children. Across New York, voters are heading to the polls to decide races at the state and local levels, including the governor’s office, congressional seats and state legislature. In Onondaga County, voters are also weighing two propositions that would establish term limits for the county executive and comptroller. For some voters, the stakes are much more personal. Melinda Bailey says her two young children are a big reason she made it to the polls
Melinda Bailey: I think there’s a lot at stake.
Rogers: For Bailey, a 39-year-old project manager, those stakes are personal. She has several issues in mind that she hopes her vote can influence.
Bailey: I hope it helps shape environmental policy, legislation on artificial intelligence, boundaries for billionaires and the super wealthy.
Rogers: Bailey made her way to Nottingham High School early Tuesday morning to cast her ballot before the rest of her day got busy. And while she has always understood the importance of voting, she says that feeling has grown in recent years.
Bailey: I definitely think it’s become more important to me recently. I definitely think it’s important, but it feels especially important right now.
Rogers: For Bailey, it’s about more than today. It’s about the future her children will inherit.