Who was the first President that you voted for?

[CTyankee]

Mine was JFK (you had to be 21 in those days). First time is special.

[demosincebirth]

1. JFK

[Ocelot II]

2. My first vote was for McGovern; my first vote for a winning candidate was for Carter.

[flor-de-jasmim]

35. Same here.

[karynnj]

41. Same here

[murielm99]

61. Same here.

[FalloutShelter]

105. Same here.

[SCantiGOP]

116. Same here

[Dulcinea]

3. Dukakis in 1988.

I was old enough to vote in 1984, but I wasn't registered.

I wasn't too impressed with Dukakis at the time, but the thought of a nitwit like Quayle as VP made me want to gag.

[CTyankee]

6. My mother called Dukakis "that little Greek." I was shocked and truly saddened that my mother had such animus against

someone from a Greek American family.

[electric_blue68]

71. As a half 2nd Gen Greek-American I was like Why does it have to be (to me) a...

Last edited Wed Jul 30, 2025, 06:10 PM - Edit history (1)

boring Greek-American. 😄

Of course, I voted for him.

[TxGuitar]

40. Same, although i was just shy of 18 in 84

Never voted anything but straight D ever since.

[debm55]

4. Carter

[Danmel]

5. Jimmy Carter in 1980

Turned 18 in 1978.
Didn't vote for a winning presidential candidate until Clinton in 1992.

[markie]

7. McGovern

haven't missed an election since... just wish all my choices had won!! we wouldn't be in this mess

[mwmisses4289]

8. Jimmy Carter in 1980.

One of the best presidents ever. He was one of the best after he left office also.

[Ping Tung]

9. My first vote for president was in 1968.

The first sitting president I voted for was also the best in my lifetime. Jimmy Carter

[sinkingfeeling]

10. McGovern

[Tommy Carcetti]

11. I guess it would be Obama.

Last edited Wed Jul 30, 2025, 01:34 PM - Edit history (1)

The first nominee I voted for was Kerry.

I could have voted for Gore. Back then I was naively idealistic and thought I couldn't vote for any candidate I didn't agree with on 100% of the issues, and because I didn't with Gore, I abstained.

As things quickly turned out in 2000, I immediately realized that was a huge mistake on my part and vowed never to do that ever again. And I've held to that promise.

[JustAnotherGen]

12. Clinton

Initially support Perot but then my parents harassed and harangued talked sense into me. No daughter of theirs was going to be anything but a Democratic Party member.

[berniesandersmittens]

13. Al Gore

I was 20 years old. The outcome was absolutely devastating. To quote Fahrenheit 911, "was it all just a dream?".

As a millennial, my political awareness has been defined by voter suppression and cheating, Supreme Court power theft, and an overall decline in rights - perpetuated by the gop.

From the theft of 2000, 9/11, the "war" on terror, the hope of Obama and Joe, to the horrors of orangina.

We rose with the right of gay marriage only to fall with the overturn of Roe.

Compared to most of my DU family, im still a youngster.

I can't imagine how it would feel to go from Eisenhower/JFK to orangina...

To go from the Civil Rights/Women's Rights/AntiWar movements to the fascist hell of today.

[Celerity]

14. HRC in 2016 (my first time voting in a US election was the 2014 midterms, right after I turned 18yo)

Technically, I have only voted for ONE POTUS (ie a person who actually won and became POTUS)

Biden in 2020.

[GoodRaisin]

15. Carter in 1976

[Gore1FL]

16. Either Mondale or Clinton, depending on how the question is interpreted. nt

[dlilafae]

17. 2000. Lived in Texas

Voted for Al Gore. Did not 🤔 no Bush 2 was a good choice

[MustLoveBeagles]

18. Bill Clinton 1992

I was 20

[Mossfern]

19. McGovern

but I volunteered for Eugene McCarthy.
I would have loved to vote for him, but I was only 20 years old, and back then the voting age was 21.

[maxsolomon]

20. Mondale.

I didn't vote for a winner until Clinton.

[jonstl08]

21. Ronald Reagan

1984 was my first time eligble to vote. Was in the military Overseas and did not like Modale's plan to cut the defense budget by 40%. Then I took college classes on economics while in the military and realized the failure of Reaganomics. Never voted GOP again.

[Inkey]

22. James Earl Carter in 1980

I registered to vote in 1978 when I turned 18, and voted ever since.

[phylny]

23. Jimmy Carter

I was away at school and did an absentee ballot.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

24. Jimmy Carter 1976

[Akacia]

25. The wonderful Jimmy Carter! I belive in 76.

[dflprincess]

26. McGovern

He was my first vote for any office.

[BlueKota]

27. I am ashamed to admit it now but 666

Reagan. I had just started my college level history and political science classes in 1980.

I can proudly say that after my four years in college I have never voted for a Republican for a National or State Office since. I also have not voted for any Republicans for local offices since 1997. Unless hell freezes over, and the parties flip platforms I hope never to vote Republican again.

The head of the Social Science department at my Community College had bumper sticker pinned to the bulletin board outside his office that read: "Friends Don't Let Friends Vote Republican." He was one of the smartest and kindest men, I ever met, and he was like a second Dad to me. He was the person most responsible for my becoming a Liberal Democrat! Rest In Peace Jack, I still miss you.

[LeftInTX]

62. I supported Republicans, then 1980 came and around and I'm like, "No".

I voted for Ford in 1976, but I could not stomach Reagan.

Reagan was Goldwater reincarnated and I thought those days were over.

I thought of Republicans like Nixon and Ford were good for business and the military (I was a math major). However, Nixon and Ford were moderates policy wise. Neither of them wanted to "shrink the government". My parents also switched from Democratic to Republican in 1968.

Yeah, I know Nixon was corrupt, but I didn't blame it on his party.

I didn't know that the GOP were still a bunch of Barry Goldwaters and backwater southern racists until Reagan came along. Then you had the Reagan and Jerry Falwell thing going and it was just ugh....Reagan really was the "rise of the south"....

[BlueKota]

65. Agreed that Nixon and Ford were more moderate.

The same professor I mentioned said that even though Nixon was a crook, and was himself a racist, he actually helped get more funding for predominantly black schools and colleges. He said it still didn't make him change his mind about Nixon as a person, but he wanted to acknowledge that sometimes Nixon did something right despite himself.

They also didn't try to blur the lines between Church and State. I too was turned off when Reagan started paling around with the pay for pray t.v. preachers. It's continued to become more detrimental to the country and disgusting since.

[ALBliberal]

83. Difficult in college 1980-84 biz major learning about

The fable of trickle down economics plus as a tax accountant the fable of “lower taxes” tho they were jacking up social security ceiling and taxing us all like crazy. Taxing the middle class.

But at least Ronnie and the Bushes weren’t like Trump.
They still had the notion of patriotism and that was something.

[Chasstev365]

28. George McGovern, but that was in the 2nd grade class election and I was the only McGovern voter

Walter Mondale 1984.

[deRien]

29. Unfortunately

Nixon…

[MineralMan]

30. Hubert Humphrey

1968 was the first presidential election I could vote in. I was still in the USAF at the time, stationed in Maryland. I voted absentee from my permanent address in California. It did not go well.

Early in 1969, I had the distinct displeasure to say, "Good morning, Mr. President" to Nixon, who showed up at my workplace at the NSA building. It was a showpiece exercise being put on for his visit to the NSA. Somehow, I got the duty to sit at a position for that exercise. Very, very strange feeling.

[electric_blue68]

75. Oh, "Lucky" you. You might appreciate this little story...

So a quite long time dear friend's father was in the diplomatic core in 2 higher positions.
Until one day, we're hanging out, walking around on a nice day, and she pulls out a manilla envelope. She's got photos.

Her father is being appointed Ambassador! They're (he, and family) are in The Oval Office! Wow!

But....

It's Reagan! 😑😬

Oh, the cognitive dissonance of viewing The Presidency, The physical office, vs the (still only) man holding the job!
I was wow, (and, ick!) simultaneously!

[MIButterfly]

31. George McGovern in 1972.

The voting age had just been lowered to 18 and I had turned 19 about 10 days before the election.

I've never missed an election since and I've always voted for the Democratic nominee and I always will.

[Glorfindel]

32. LBJ

Proudly voted at age 19 in 1964. Georgia was one of two states that allowed 18-year-olds to vote. I don't remember which the other one was.

[Ritabert]

33. George McGovern in 1972.

[ArnoldLayne]

34. Jimmy Carter

[maveric]

36. Carter 76

I was 20.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

37. Carter in 1976

[58Sunliner]

38. Clinton. Boxer and Feinstein won that year too. Special night in SF.

[waldnorm]

39. Mondale if Candidate . . .

Clinton if actually became President.

[mcar]

42. Jimmy Carter - second term

[FloridaBlues]

43. President Clinton

[Iggo]

44. Ugh! Here we go again: Ronald Reagan. (n/t)

[Tree Lady]

50. Don't feel bad

After voting for Jimmy twice, I voted for Reagan the second time he ran because I went through a religious phase and church was telling me to vote for him. Only time I ever voted republican.

[Iggo]

72. I just had no idea of the difference between the parties back then.

I voted for the names I knew from growing up in California.

Reagan for President and maybe Tom Bradley for Governor (though I might have the wrong year on that one…)

[Nanjeanne]

45. McGovern. Although 18 in 1968 the voting age then was 21. So couldn't vote until 1972.

[LudwigPastorius]

46. My first vote in a presidential election was for Mondale/Ferraro.

I was born 1 month too late to vote for Jimmy Carter in 1980.

[Tree Lady]

47. Carter in 1976 I was 20

Spent years before that watching Watergate tapes with my dad, we also went to go see Robert Kennedy few weeks before he was killed. My father was very political.

[DavidDvorkin]

48. LBJ

And now I'm on Medicare. Life is a circle!

[Greybnk48]

49. Hubert Humphrey

I lived in Alaska and we could vote at 19.

[sakabatou]

51. Obama

[BigMin28]

52. President Jimmy Carter

I had just turned 18. I haven't missed a vote yet.

[walkingman]

53. McGovern '72

[Xavier Breath]

54. Reagan in '84.

Election day was the day after my 18th birthday. My voting precinct was in the band room at my high school, so after lunch I stopped in and voted. I remember feeing like such a grownup.

[the_liberal_grandpa]

55. George McGovern

I was 18 that year when 18 year olds were allowed to vote and I did not want to be drafted.

[Bookreadingliberal53]

56. Bill Clinton in 1992

[Wounded Bear]

57. Nixon 1972...

Don't change Dicks in the middle of a screw, vote for Nixon in '72!

Hey, I was a young Marine who had just booked a huge pay raise as they first went to an all volunteer force.

Haven't voted R since, at least for President.

[RazorbackExpat]

109. That's quite a catchy campaign slogan

[Wounded Bear]

114. Unofficial...

[LeftInTX]

58. Gerald Ford. But I voted for Carter in 1980.

[KitFox]

59. McGovern. I still remember being in that voting booth, behind the curtain

and pulling back the lever to register my vote and open the curtain to leave.

[BOSSHOG]

60. Nixon 1972

Absentee ballot. Navy Bootcamp San Diego. Dumbass 18 year old.

[lanlady]

63. Jimmy Carter 1980

n/t

[DFW]

64. The OP said «First President,» as opposed to «presidential candidate»

That would be Jimmy Carter, in 1976.

I’m surprised how many people voted for presidents that never were president (Humphrey, McGovern, Dukakis, etc.). What a better world that would have been!

[EnergizedLib]

66. Obama in 2012

[cabotnn22]

67. Dukakis

I'm a Gen Xer.

[chelsea0011]

68. Eugene McCarthy

Write in

[ProudMNDemocrat]

69. McGovern

[Jacson6]

70. Although he cut off my SSA survivor benefits I voted for Reagan in 1984.

My working class dad told me I was an a idiot and after all these years I agree with him 100%. I joined the military for four years so that I could pay for my college tuition upon discharge.

We are so naive when we are young.

[electric_blue68]

73. Carter (won). McG (1st Prez candidate vote). Humphrey (1st Prez Candidate volunteer)

[ok_cpu]

74. Clinton.

But when I was wee, I went in the booth with my mom and told everyone I voted for Jimmy Carter.

[wendyb-NC]

76. I voted for George McGovern, in 1972

Unfortunately, he didn't win.

[whathehell]

77. I remember JFK, but was too young to vote

so McGovern was my first.

[Walleye]

78. My first vote in a presidential election was Shirley Chisholm in the California primary in 1972

Of course, I voted for McGovern in the general

[Raine]

79. Nixon ... 1972 nt

[brush]

80. The Gus Hall/Angela Davis ticket in 1980.

[ALBliberal]

81. Carter! 1980 I believe I was 18

Will always be so very proud of that vote. Give my husband grief for voting for Andersen.

[ProfessorGAC]

82. Carter

I had just turned 16 in '72, so I couldn't vote for McGovern. I was 20 in 1976, so Carter got my first vote.

[Bluestocking]

84. Mondale

I’ve always been a democratic voter

[Hassler]

85. Jimmy Carter. Missed McGovern by 3 months

[synni]

86. Walter Mondale - nt

[Eugene]

87. First candidate: Gary Hart (1984) First winning candidate: Bill Clinton (1992)

I was 7 weeks short of my 18th birthday in November 1980, so 1984 was the first presidential election I was old enough to vote in. It was Super Tuesday in Massachusetts during Democratic primary. George McGovern was on the ballot.

Volunteered and voted for Mondale/Ferraro during the general.

[mountain grammy]

88. Missed the 68 election by 3 weeks

1972, proudly voted for George McGovern. Kept that bumper sticker on the back of my Volkswagen until it was no longer readable.
Almost every elected republican in my lifetime has been a crook just like Nixon!

[In It to Win It]

89. Obama 2012. It was the first election I was eligible to vote in.

[Upthevibe]

90. CTyankee...........

Carter in '76.

[ClimateHawk]

91. Barack Obama in 2008

I turned 18 that year so it was the first election I was eligible to vote in.

[CTyankee]

94. That was one of the greatest moments of my long life: our first black president and our first black (and beautiful)

First Lady! It was one of the peaks of my lifetime!

[Deep State Witch]

92. Geraldine Ferraro

And what's-his-name. (Walter Mondale)

[NH Ethylene]

93. I was so upset that I turned 18 a couple of days after the election.

But my vote for McGovern, in California, would have made no difference.

So my first vote was for Jimmy Carter.

[KentuckyWoman]

95. Eisenhower

I know, I know.... but by today's standards he would be left of center. IMHO

[CTyankee]

96. In those days republicans were not a bunch of goons. There was Joe McCarthy but he got a public shaming and had to go

away. I will always remember "Have you no shame, Senator, at long last?" I was just a kid then but I knew it was mighty!

[La Coliniere]

97. McGovern in 1972

[struggle4progress]

98. Jimmy

[still-prayin4rain]

99. Well this is embarrassing..... Nader

[Crunchy Frog]

100. First person I voted for that actually got elected: Bill Clinton.

First person I voted for in a presidential election was Mondale.

[MuseRider]

101. Nixon

My Dad made me. He took me and stood behind me as I voted. I was not brave enough to tolerate the punishment for defiance. I got braver. I have felt like a jerk every time I think of that.

[rickyhall]

102. Jimmy Carter '76 & we won

[Polly Hennessey]

103. President Clinton, 1992.

[choie]

104. Dukakis

Didn’t go so well.

[Faux pas]

106. George McGovern

you had to be 21 in my part of those days too.

[AllaN01Bear]

107. carter ., 1976

[CozyMystery]

108. Jimmy Carter

nt

[pfitz59]

110. Jimmy Carter

1980

[mahina]

111. Jimmy Carter

Always will love that man. He was such a great President, brought down by real dirtbags.

[valleyrogue]

112. Jimmy Carter, 1976 n/t

[FadedMullet]

113. In 1968, as an anti-war student at Kent State University, I am ashamed to say that I did not vote for Hubert Humphrey...

........but wrote in Huey Newton. Today I realize my hatred of Richard Nixon had clouded my mind.

[PufPuf23]

115. Candidate McGovern; actual POTUS, Carter. nt