In a exceptional show of civic obligation, 30-year-old Lexi Tougher boarded a 15-hour flight from Berlin to america, decided to solid her vote within the 2024 presidential election. Tougher, an ardent supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, confronted vital challenges in voting from overseas after her absentee poll by no means arrived. As a substitute of letting her voice go unheard, she took a unprecedented step—spending over $1,100 on a last-minute flight to return dwelling and vote in particular person.
A Lengthy Journey for Democracy
Tougher’s voting ordeal started in early September, when she first utilized for an absentee poll from her dwelling state, Pennsylvania. Dwelling overseas in Berlin, she counted on the poll arriving nicely earlier than Election Day, permitting her to take part in one of the crucial anticipated elections in recent times. However as weeks was months with no poll in sight, Tougher’s frustration grew. Repeated follow-ups with election officers led nowhere, as her poll was finally marked “CANC – UNDELIVERABLE.”
When it turned clear that her absentee poll wouldn’t arrive in time, Tougher made a troublesome alternative: she would fly again to the U.S. and solid her vote in particular person. In response to The New York Times, she booked a last-minute flight to Pennsylvania, hoping her sacrifice would guarantee her vote for Kamala Harris counted.
Not an Remoted Wrestle
Tougher was not alone in going through absentee poll points. Comparable tales emerged from voters in Pennsylvania, the place others additionally discovered themselves scrambling to get their voices heard. Helen Wu, a 21-year-old College of Chicago pupil, endured an identical journey. After weeks of requesting a poll and navigating administrative delays, Wu in the end needed to fly again to Pennsylvania, decided to vote in particular person. The New York Times reported on different pissed off voters who, as a result of errors or delays, additionally felt compelled to return dwelling to vote in particular person.
For Tougher and different Harris supporters, this election represented greater than only a vote—it was an opportunity to again a candidate who they believed represented their values. But regardless of their dedication, Harris in the end conceded the election to her opponent, Donald Trump. In her concession speech at her alma mater, Howard College, Harris struck a resilient tone. She acknowledged the result however reassured her supporters, stating, “Whereas I concede this election, I don’t concede the struggle that fuelled this marketing campaign.” Her message resonated with those that had travelled far and extensive to assist her, reaffirming that their efforts weren’t in useless, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The Price of Voting from Overseas
Tougher’s journey, each literal and figurative, shines a light-weight on the boundaries that U.S. residents dwelling overseas can face when trying to vote. It additionally underscores the urgency of election reform for absentee voters, lots of whom expertise related obstacles. Tougher’s 15-hour, $1,100 flight dwelling serves as a reminder of the lengths to which some voters are keen to go to make their voices heard.
For Tougher, the journey was price it, although she hopes future voters will not face the identical hurdles. “It is a basic proper,” she mirrored, echoing sentiments shared by many who consider within the significance of accessible voting.
