My son Connor turned 18 last week.
As if that milestone wasn't enough to make this mama a little emotional, Tuesday he voted in his very first election. And apparently, I was much more excited about it than he was.
In the days leading up to Election Day, I watched him bring home a sample ballot and research the candidates. He took the time to learn who was running, what they stood for and which individuals he believed deserved his vote. As someone who spends a considerable amount of time covering local government and elections, I couldn't have been more impressed.
Now, before I take too much credit for raising such a responsible young voter, I need to give the actual credit where it's due. His teacher at F.E. DuBose Career Center, Ms. Erica Wallace, made sure Connor registered to vote. Yes, you read that correctly. His mother covers elections for a living, and somehow I managed to drop the ball on getting my own child registered. Thankfully, Ms. Wallace was on top of it, and I'm incredibly grateful to her for making sure he was ready to participate in his first election.
Of course, getting him registered was just the first step. What mattered to me was that he understood the responsibility that came with it. I certainly have my own political opinions, and anyone who knows me well probably knows that. But one thing I have always tried to instill in my children is the importance of thinking for themselves. I want them to understand the issues and make informed decisions rather than simply adopting someone else's beliefs, including mine.
For the record, neither Connor nor I voted straight ticket. Not because there's anything inherently wrong with voting for candidates from one party, but because I want my children to evaluate the people asking to represent them, not just the letters beside their names.
Over the past few weeks, I've probably told more people than Connor would have preferred that this was going to be his first election. During several campaign events in the last few weeks, I proudly shared the news with people on both sides of the political aisle. Throughout Election Day, I did the same. I'm fairly certain that by the time we reached the polling place, Connor was ready to have a T-shirt made so I could stop announcing it.
But something about those conversations stuck with me.
Republicans, Democrats and everyone in between seemed genuinely happy to hear that an 18-year-old was preparing to cast his first ballot. For a brief moment, political differences didn't matter. Everyone was simply celebrating a young man taking part in the democratic process.
Then came the moment at the polling place.
As we finished voting and prepared to leave, the poll workers applauded Connor for being a first-time voter. It was a small gesture, but one that made this mama's heart swell. Connor, however, seemed a little puzzled by all the attention.
Once we got in the car, he looked at me and asked, "Is it really that big of a deal?"
Bro. You have no idea.
Or maybe that's exactly the problem. Maybe we haven't done a good enough job explaining to young people just how much their participation matters.
According to voter registration data from Clarendon County, just 1,609 of our 21,871 registered voters are under the age of 25. That's only about 7.4%, or fewer than one in 13 registered voters.
Those numbers don't tell us how many actually showed up to vote, but they do illustrate just how small a portion of our electorate our youngest voters represent. And considering how many decisions made at the ballot box will affect their lives for decades to come, that's worth thinking about.
Nationally, the picture is a little more encouraging.
Research from Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that 28.4% of Americans ages 18 to 24 voted in the 2022 midterm elections. That was higher than the turnout among Millennials and Generation X when those generations were the same age during their first comparable midterm elections.
So despite the complaints about young people being glued to their phones, uninterested in anything beyond social media or unwilling to get involved, Generation Z has shown that it is willing to participate.
But there's still plenty of room for improvement.
Harvard University's fall 2026 Youth Poll found that only 33% of Americans ages 18 to 29 said they definitely planned to vote in this year's midterm elections. The survey also reflected widespread concerns about the country's direction and frustration with the political system.
And can we really blame them for some of that frustration?
They're growing up in a world where political disagreements have become personal attacks, compromise is treated as weakness and elected officials often seem more interested in scoring points against one another than solving problems.
They're watching debates over the cost of living, education, health care, housing and countless other issues that will shape their futures long after some of today's elected leaders have left office.
Yet too often, their voices are missing from the conversation.
We spend an awful lot of time talking about the importance of young voters every election cycle, but how often do we actually listen to them? And perhaps more importantly, how often do we encourage them to become the leaders themselves?
Let's face it. A good number of the people making decisions about the future of this country have been making those decisions for a very long time. Experience and institutional knowledge certainly have value, but I'm also a firm believer in term limits. I'm not suggesting we start checking birth certificates at the door of every government building, but at some point, we have to recognize that holding public office was never meant to be a lifetime appointment.
Fresh perspectives, new ideas and an understanding of the challenges facing younger generations have value, too.
We need both.
And I'm not just talking about Washington. We need young people right here in Clarendon County who care enough about their communities to attend a council meeting, serve on a local board, volunteer for a cause or eventually put their own names on a ballot.
We also need those of us who have been around a little longer to encourage them, mentor them and make room for them. Leadership isn't about age alone. It's about dedication, integrity and a willingness to serve, and the next generation deserves opportunities to develop those qualities.
I don't know whether Connor will ever want to run for public office. Maybe he'll develop a passion for local government, or maybe he'll simply remain an informed voter who takes his civic responsibilities seriously.
Either way, I'll consider it a win.
Because the goal isn't to raise children who vote the way we do. It's to raise adults who understand that their voices matter, who are willing to listen to people with different opinions and who recognize that being part of a community comes with responsibilities.
And if I'm being completely fair, perhaps Connor's question wasn't so unreasonable.
To him, voting was simply something he was old enough to do. He did his homework, made his choices and cast his ballot. He didn't expect a celebration, and I'm pretty sure he didn't anticipate his mother telling half of Clarendon County about it.
Maybe that's how it should be. Maybe we should live in a world where every young adult approaches voting as naturally as getting a driver's license or registering for college classes. Where participating in an election isn't something remarkable, but simply something you do.
But until we get there, I think those first-time voters deserve every bit of applause they receive.
Because somewhere between the campaign signs, political arguments and endless election coverage, it's easy to forget that democracy depends on ordinary people deciding to participate.
And on Tuesday, one of those people was my son.
I don't expect Connor to fully appreciate that round of applause just yet. As a high school senior, he has plenty of other things on his mind, and I suspect the significance of that moment will become clearer with time.
But someday, I hope he looks back and understands that those poll workers weren't just celebrating his first vote. They were celebrating another young person stepping forward to help shape the future.
So yes, Connor. It really is that big of a deal.
And I couldn't be prouder of you.
