98-Year-Old Augusta Woman Casts Her Vote

Augusta, GA—-  The year was 1909. President Theodore Roosevelt was ending his term and William Taft would take over and it was the same year that Luvenia Pearson was born.

Luvenia Pearson, Voter: “99 happy years.“

Ms. Pearson will celebrate her 99th birthday November first but Thursday she decided to cast her vote for this historic election. Ms. Pearson says she remembers a time when voting, especially for African Americans was not easy. She talked about the recent bail out and compared it to living during the great depression.

Luvenia Pearson, Voter: “Well is wasn’t, I don’t think it was any different. But there’s always going go to be something wrong about the prices of the car and the prices of gas and the prices of this and that.“

She says in the past she’s voted for Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy just to name a few. Pearson used an electronic voting machine to cast her ballot this time and it’s a method that’s different from before.

Luvenia Pearson, Voter: “First you give your name, age and all and then you go into the little old place when they would vote and you go in there and vote you’ll just write who you voting for.“

For 50 years she taught cosmetology in Augusta during a time where segregation seemed to be the rule. Learning how to deal with race differences is something she’s glad about this election. She says she’s fortunate to see an African American nominee and a female vice presidential nominee.

Luvenia Pearson, Voter: “ I don’t care what happens we may not want it to be like that but if God says so he will be the President.

Regardless of age, Pearson says this election is making history and she’s just glad to be a part of it. Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver signed a proclamation declaring November 1st as Ms. Luvenia Pearson day.