Woman defies late husband's orders to caste her very first vote at 81

For decades, women fought tirelessly for the right to vote, finally winning that battle in 1920 with the passing of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Recently, a shocking story emerged of a woman who was denied her right to vote by her own husband for years, drawing widespread outrage. Betty Cartledge, a Newton County resident, made history for herself by voting for the first time at 81. According to WSB TV-Atlanta, Betty had never voted before due to years of pressure from her husband, who passed away last year, per WSB TV-Atlanta.

Betty arrived at the polling station with her niece just before her 82nd birthday, visibly excited to vote for the first time. "I’m going to vote for the first time in my life," she told the outlet. While she kept her choice private, she encouraged others to get out and vote in large numbers.

In the footage, Betty was seen speaking to the local TV station Channel 2 Action News. When the network’s correspondent asked the 81-year-old about her decision to cast a vote ahead of the critical Election Day next month, she explained, "I was so young and everything when we got married, I never really thought about it." She conveyed that her husband kept discouraging her from voting.

"And then I got old and thought that it wouldn’t count to vote," Betty continued. The woman from Newton County lost her husband last year due to undisclosed reasons. Following this, she decided to vote for the first time in her life. According to one of the oldest first-time voters in Georgia, it was time to make her voice heard. Additionally, Betty reportedly is now of the firm opinion that voting is just as important at her age as it is for the younger generation. The recently-turned 82-year-old praised the overall voting experience in Georgia’s Newton County, where she voted. "It was neat, it was good," she said as she stepped out of the station with the assistance of her niece. 

When a media person asked her about showing up more often during the polls, Betty jokingly remarked, "If I’m here, I’ll be back again." This case appears as a stark reminder for those dismissive of serious issues such as discrimination based on gender and color. In another story, a Black woman earlier in August this year took to social media to share how she faced racism at a restaurant. The 30-year-old u/IndependentFar8420 on Reddit, who went out with her boyfriend’s mom, was subjected to derogatory remarks by a waitress.

"Right away I could tell that she didn't want to wait on us. She didn't greet us with a 'hello,' she just asked what we wanted to drink," the woman explained, adding that they were served a Pepsi without their consent. "She was pissed that she had to wait on a 'Black table' because 'they never tip well.' My mother and I were the only Black people in the restaurant. She wasn't even whispering when she said it either," the woman pointed out. These incidents are reported by the press on an almost regular basis, suggesting there is still more work to be done when it comes to gender-based discrimination.