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old Missouri City woman urges young people to get out and vote – Houston Public Media

D.Martin2 hr ago

A 102-year-old Missouri City woman is encouraging others to go to the polls, after casting her ballot during early voting last week.

Senetta Clifton, a former high school teacher, said she began voting at an early age — and urges young people who are eligible to vote to do so.

"I encourage teenagers now to vote and vote for issues that were going to keep us going forward," she said.

After difficulties with obtaining a mail ballot, Clifton hitched a ride to the polls with a former student to do curbside voting, an accommodation for people with disabilities that allows them to vote from their car.

Election officials initially struggled to verify Clifton's voter registration because she was over 100 years old

But after help from the former student and her daughter, she was finally able to get her registration confirmed.

Sandi Newkirk, the former student who took Clifton to the polls and helped her confirm her voting registration, said she's inspired by her former teacher's civic involvement ­­— which also includes volunteering and fundraising at church.

"It makes me feel like I'm sitting on a toadstool and I need to do more," Newkirk said.

Clifton said it's important to vote to keep the country moving forward.

"I keep up with the issues," she said. "I voted way back before the integration, desegregation — all that stuff."

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