Florida woman casts ballot during 108th birthday party: Reports
Ruth Graham Ray has lived through the Women's Suffrage and Civil Rights movements
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A 108-year-old Florida woman kicked off her birthday this year by voting Saturday - hoping to encourage the next generation to do their civic duty, according to local reports.
Ruth Graham Ray, of Jacksonville, hasn’t missed a presidential vote in the last 22 elections, she told WJXT.
“I just hope I can hold up and be an encouragement to somebody else,” she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She joined roughly 98 million other Americans who cast their votes before Election Day this year. That’s more than double the 46 million early voters in the presidential election of 2016.
After filling out her early voting ballot, a family friend and retired police officer dropped it off at a secured location for her, according to First Coast News.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Her godson, Michael Blaylock, told the outlet that Ray believes: "'If I'm 108 years old, and it's still important to me, then there should not be any excuses from anybody.'"
Neighbors and family members turned out to mark the event, wishing her a happy birthday from their cars amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Fox News Power Rankings have listed Florida as a “toss- up” in this year’s presidential election. It has 29 Electoral College votes up for grabs.
Florida is one of two major swing states that has had fewer early voters than other states so far.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted Tuesday that polls close at 7 p.m., but everyone still standing in line at that time will have their vote counted.