Only 102 and Still Votes

Edith Strait wasted no time in lining up to vote on October 6-the first day of absentee voting at the Marshall County Clerk’s office. As near as she and her son Richard can guess, she began voting in 1928.

She says it is difficult to say the exact year since she can’t remember whether the voting age at that time was 18 or 21. What she does know is that she has voted a lot of times.

She will turn 102 on October 17.

With only the use of a walker, Striat proudly walks by herself to vote. Her loss of hearing prevents her from carrying on a verbal conversation or answering questions, but she is still able to read.

When she voted in the primary this year, she said, “I can still read the names on the ballot.”

This year, she attended her 80th class reunion from Albion College. After her graduation in 1928, she came to Marshall County in 1933 to teach. Her career spanned from teaching fourth grade at the West Schools to teaching economics at the Culver Schools.

She continues to reside in Culver.

According to Shelly Brown, Marshall County voter registration, they had 71 people vote in the clerk’s office by 3:30 p.m., with a line of people still waiting to vote.

Brown said, “I don’t know how many, but there have been tons and tons of new registrations to vote.