Texas man, 91, casts presidential ballot for first time

ABILENE, Texas — A Texas man did something he has wanted to do for nearly 60 years -- vote in a presidential election.

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Humberto De La Vega, 91, of Abilene, walked into a Taylor County polling place as the first day of early voting began in Texas, KTAB reported.

“I wanted to be counted,” De La Vega told the television station.

De La Vega came to the United States during the late 1950s and got married in 1963, gaining residency, KTAB reported. He finally decided to pursue naturalization in 2019 and was sworn in as an American citizen last November.

“I’ve had my opinions all these years but I couldn’t vote legally,” De La Vega told the television station.

De La Vega met his son and walked to the Taylor County Courthouse to vote.

“I know I felt good, felt a warm feeling. I don’t know if everybody feels that way," De La Vega told KTAB. Maybe they do it so often they don’t think about it, but for me it was a good experience,” said De La Vega.

As a first-time voter, De La Vega had a message for the candidates.

“Ask themselves, "Am I going to make a difference or am I going to add to the problem?'” De La Vega told KTAB.

Cox Media Group