Mom Of 3 Says Poll Worker Tried To Stop Her From Voting Because She Brought Her Kids With Her To The Polling Place
Parents should never be excluded from exercising their rights.
Frame Stock Footage | Shutterstock A woman was excited to cast her vote early and exercise her rights. However, when she approached the front of the line, a poll worker made a backhanded comment about how she shouldn’t be allowed to vote — all because she had her three kids in tow.
The incident forced the woman to ask herself and others if kids should be allowed at the polls while their parents are casting their votes.
The mom of three claimed that a poll worker tried to stop her from voting since she brought her kids with her.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 200,000 times, Tiffany Nicole documented her day taking her three kids to vote early with her at her local library.
Tiffany explained that she had a particularly uneventful day, and decided it would be the perfect opportunity to cast her vote since she was unsure if she would have time to on Election Day.
The mom loaded her kids in the car and took them to her nearest voting location.
“As we were walking up, everybody in line was being super kind to us; everybody was calling me ‘super mom’ and saying it was so awesome that even though I was alone with my three kids, I still made it a point to come out and get my vote cast,” Tiffany said.
The mom's trip to the polls took a turn for the worse after standing in line for half an hour.
However, after making it to the front of the 30-minute line, she claimed that the situation “completely changed.”
“There was a poll worker there who started to be really rude to the kids and me and basically told me that moms should not be allowed to bring their kids to the voting booth with them,” she said.
While Tiffany tried to ignore the worker, he eventually approached her and asked her to step out of line and come back another day without her kids.
Thankfully, other voters in line and other poll workers had the mom’s back and allowed her and the kids to stay in line.
“Ultimately, we were able to stay in line, and I got to cast my vote, but what do you guys think about this situation?” Tiffany asked her viewers.
Despite what the rude poll worker believed, most people did not see an issue with parents bringing their kids to the polls with them.
They insisted that taking their children to vote was a great opportunity for them to see democracy in action.
“I remember going to vote with my mom during elections. As a kid, I thought it was so cool!” one TikTok user commented.
“I’m so glad you stayed. You are absolutely allowed to. My husband and I took our 4 kids. We called it a homeschool field trip and gave them a history lesson while we waited 45 minutes in line,” another user shared.
“As a former poll worker, you are 100% allowed to bring your kids. That's why we have the ‘future voter’ sticker (which I loved giving out to the kids because stickers and they understood what it meant),” another added.
Yulia Panova | Canva Pro
Showing kids the voting and election process is a valuable learning experience.
Even if children are not able to cast a vote themselves, it won’t be long until they are able to. Why not use the opportunity as a valuable teaching moment to show them that their voice matters?
It is also important to note that some parents may not have access to childcare and have no choice but to bring their kids along while they run their errands. This does not mean that they should be excluded from exercising their rights.
Even if parents do have childcare, some still may opt to bring their kids with them to the polls to spark discussions about voting and what it all means.
According to Patrice Wright, a parenting educator at The Parenting Center, it is never too early to start having these conversations with your kids.
“They may not be able to understand it in great detail, but being able to start the discussion very early on helps their understanding year after year,” she told WWLTV.
Wright also suggested making the comprehension of voting fun for your kids by holding your own mock elections at home so they can get a better idea of the process.
Ultimately, bringing your kids to the polls is a personal choice that will look different for every family.
However, if you happen to see a parent with their kids while casting your vote, they should not be shamed.
They should be commended for making the time to exercise their rights while juggling their children, and for allowing them the opportunity to see how their country works.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.