While many of the students were registered, many had no intention of voting. Some said they didn’t want to wait in lines, while others blamed their ignorance about the issues. There were some who didn’t even bother to register.

Melinda Ross was an exception. The 18-year-old freshman student waited patiently -- even joyfully -- in line for her turn to vote for the first time.

“I’m really excited to be voting for the first time,” said Ross. “I was always politically active and couldn’t wait until I could vote myself.”

When she looked around her, she noticed than most of the voters in line were either school employees or older students.

“I’m sad that so many students don’t vote, it’s so important that we vote and have a say in what’s happening to us,” she said as she finally into the room to cast her vote.

“I want to be a politician,” she said as a way of explaining her keen interest. “I grew up in a family that was very politically aware. When I’d wake up early in the morning and go to the living room, I’d find my grandfather there, watching C-SPAN. In my family it was always so important.”

When she was 11, her sixth grade Sunday school teacher from the Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Marietta, GA, Johnny Isakson, ran for Congress. She worked on hi campaign and got hooked.

“I mostly did campaign stuff.” She recalled. “Sending out letters, and all kinds of things.”

The experience taught her the rules of the game very early in life.

“It made him look better,” she laughed, “showing that he’s involved with the youth”.

Five years later, Isakson, a Republican, was elected to the U.S Senate, and the then-16 year old Ross got a chance to work for a Senator. She also joined her school’s student council.
Like many other Berkeley college students, Ross registered to vote in California, where her father lives, for residency reasons. The politically aware student, who majors in political science, was bothered by the fact she knew so little about California politics.

“I was really worried about it. I read a few voter guides, did a research, I talked to relatives of mine who live in California to try and understand more.” “There were things I didn’t vote for. I didn’t vote for judges because I didn’t feel like I know enough to vote for it. But generally, I educated myself a lot about the other things on the ballot.”

As she exited the building, she turned around. In 20 years, she said, she hopes that she’ll have other stories written about her on elections day.

Only she’ll play a different role.