An election for a lifetime, no matter how old (or young) you are

The 97-year-old World War II veteran, who fought in Europe against the Nazis, drove his truck to the West Seneca Community Center on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 24. It was the first day of early voting in New York, and Mata wasn’t going to miss it.

“I didn’t want to let go of this vote,” said Mata, who wore a blue ballcap with white stars on the crown and red and white stripes on the brim. Hunched and aided by his cane, Mata walked to the back of the line, which was 600 feet from the polling place and about 90 minutes long.

Mata is one of millions of voters who don’t want to let go of their votes. Especially this year. With the country divided over everything from the handling of the pandemic to climate change, this is an election unlike any in our lifetimes. That’s true if you’re 18 and a first-time voter or if you’re a member of the so-called Greatest Generation, like Mata, who was led to the front of the line that morning by a woman who came to his side and wanted to help him, and by dozens of voters who willingly gave up their spots.

“I thought I had to wait a long time to vote, and I was ready to do it,” said Mata, adding he showed up that first day of polling out of a sense of duty. “I always voted since I came home from the service. I’m going to vote as long as I can.”

We asked voters across Western New York to share with us why they are making it a priority to vote this year. We did not ask them who they are voting for, and largely didn’t mention President Trump or his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. These are their words, edited for space and clarity.

Thomas Ballard, 75, retired construction company owner and former Army sergeant, Lake View

Every citizen should vote. If you don't vote, you can't complain. And I think it's important that you voice your opinion on who you want to lead your country, or who you want to be your congressman or your local aldermen or supervisor. I mean, you have to have a voice and you have to use your voice, and voice is through an election.

During my time in the Army from 1964 to 1967, I was stationed in Germany and traveled all through Europe. From my time in the service, you can really see how things can affect you and affect our country. You look back and see how people are looking at us for leadership and for us for help. We need somebody leading the country who can take care of that. You want somebody who is a decent, intelligent, honest person, and who has the country and its people at heart. That alone would make you vote.

I have voted in every election since I was eligible. It’s always been important, but this year is an extreme example, I think, because of the way things have been going.

Jillian Hanesworth, 27, poet, Buffalo

Voting has been very urgent to me and my community. A lot of us are against the changes that have been happening, so we’ve been taking a look at our own values as individuals, as a community, and taking a side.

I will always vote. But I also can understand why it is frustrating. The system owes it to us to actually work the way it's supposed to work: in a way that benefits everybody, isn't so racist, and doesn't hurt people that aren't rich and that don't have education and that don't speak the majority language. We're doing our part: We're voting and things aren't changing, and when the system is designed that way, and that happens for so long, it is almost disheartening to vote. But our ancestors fought for this and died for this. You wouldn't die for something that you didn't know could work and could change things.

I had a cool experience voting this year at the Souls to the Polls Rally on the first day of early voting. I performed a poem at the rally, and we marched down to the Gloria J. Parks Community Center, and we all voted. It’s the best way that we can reclaim our power.

Michael Parkot, 39, farmer and physician assistant, Corfu

My wife and I and our three children are a middle-class family living on a family farm. Voting is important to me because it’s how you make a statement about what kind of a country you want to live in, but also what kind of country do you want your kids to live in.

In New York, because it’s not a battleground state, people may say, “Oh, well, my vote doesn't even matter.” But if you're not going to be willing to vote to change something – or put your voice out there and take 10 minutes out of your day to commit to changing something – then don't complain about it for the next four years.

Have we ever really lived up to the framers’ concept in the Declaration of Independence of all men are created equal? Our country has always claimed to be the land of the free and equal opportunity, and everybody treated the same. We've never really lived up to that, and we're getting further and further away from that.

We’re at a critical turning point in this election. Everybody is so divided. It’s a sad state of affairs to me that people are willing to divorce their family over their politics. How have we gotten to this point? That’s a huge question that I'm asking myself without having a really good answer for it.

Margot Voisinet, 18, retail worker, Kenmore

I feel like we're going backward in time. We were going forward – we were doing really well – and I feel like everything caved in on itself. Science is very real. Climate change is very much real. The coronavirus is very much real. Thousands and thousands of people have died from it, and I am voting the way that I am because I want a president who is going to actively address situations as what they are.

I saw in the news that some government officials want to not allow same-sex couples to adopt because they think it puts out a bad image to children, which I don't believe. I’m adopted, and I've always wanted to adopt. Growing up, I made sure to learn about the foster system in America, which is not very good. I've always wanted to adopt — to come full circle. And I would very much like to keep gay marriage legalized. I would very much like to see me, as a woman, have the decision to do what I please with my own body rather than have it be the decision of so many other people.

My parents adopted me from South Korea and brought me over here so I could have a better life. So many other people come to America so they can have a better life. I want a president who is going to try and make this country better.

Annette Wojcinski, 51, financial administrator, Lockport

I have voted in almost every election since I became eligible at 18. The way I was raised, it was never even a question. You turned 18, and you started voting. It was part of being a citizen: You have to participate; it’s your civic responsibility.

I still think it's to voice your opinion. Even when it’s a foregone conclusion in New York, whether you agree with that or not, it’s important to speak on what you feel. I think Western New York doesn't reflect the same type of vision for New York that the other side of the state does. Sometimes it makes it difficult for me to get my kids – 25, 22 and 18 – to vote. I have one who said, “What does it matter? It’s not going to count anyway.” It’s hard to change that, but I think it's still important to voice your opinion.

I'm going to vote for the person that I think is going to do the best job for the country based on what issues I think are important. I don't vote party lines, ever. I vote based on the person and the ideas that they represent.

Gusto Editor Toni Ruberto contributed to this story.