SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Walking to the polls Tuesday afternoon, Syracuse University student Isabella Rodriguez entered her polling location alone. Rodriguez was a first-time voter, but it wasn’t her first time seeing a ballot.
Rodriguez grew up going to the election polls with her grandmother. She translated the questions on the ballot, since there wasn’t someone to help her grandmother at the polls.
So when it was time for Rodriguez to register to vote, she chose to vote in person, as a way to honor the time she spent with her grandmother on Election Day.
“I’d like sit at a little play,” Rodriguez said. “So I’m just continuing on the tradition.”
Rodriguez was 17 years old during the 2020 presidential election. This time, there wasn’t a specific topic or policy in mind, but she felt it was important to participate in the presidential race between former president Donald Trump and current U.S. vice president Kamala Harris.
“It’s important to vote,” Rodriguez said. “Because I feel like, if you’re going to complain about politics in the state of the country, you have to be able to play your part and vote.”