A retired New Paltz professor has voted in a presidential election 17 times. And as Briggette Sayegh reports, she's still very politically active.
It was 65 years ago when Dorothy Jessup voted in her first-ever presidential election. And the rest was history.
"My first election was 52. Stevenson versus Eisenhower, and that was my introduction to politics,” Jessup said. "I've never not voted in a presidential election. And I don't think I've missed a two year election."
Just last week, the 86-year-old resident of Woodland Pond at New Paltz voted absentee, making this the 17th general election in which she's voted. Jessup, now a retired professor of sociology and former chair of the political affairs committee at the senior living community, remains committed to educating voters ahead of Election Day.
"This is so people can see the sample ballot and see what they're going to be faced with when they go to the polls.” Jessup said.
The presidential nominating conventions were first televised in 1952, a year after Jessup got married.
"And we stayed up until really late to hear it. And we listened to the whole Republican convention and the whole Democratic convention,” Jessup said.
Suffice it to say, Jessup feels invested in the democratic process.
"I think young people particularly can make a difference. I really would love to go out and do what I used to do -- I'm not up to it at all. It would take me a long, long time, and I would be absolutely exhausted after doing five or 10 people,” said Jessup.
Jessup hopes America's youth will follow in her path come November 8.