Recorded from Cumberland, Maryland, 2021.

This snapshot was gathered in conjunction with the Maryland Voices initiative at Maryland Humanities, specifically to supplement the "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program. This collection, made up of stories of first-time voters between the ages of 18 and 24, showcases the experiences of young people as they wrestled with the 2020 presidential election, issues around social justice, the environment, immigration, and the pandemic. The full collection of stories is available at www.museumonmainstreet.org.

Jeremiah Mudge (00:00): Hello, I'm Jeremiah Mudge. I am a student at Allegany Community College, in Maryland. Even if you don't think your vote matters, it's really all what's in your own heart. Are you going to be able to deal with everyone else's pick? If you don't vote, and the other candidate wins because you feel like you had no chance, well then you never had a chance. Because if everyone thinks the same way, nothing is ever going to happen.

Jeremiah Mudge (00:34): I remember there was some communities where the vote difference was only 20 or 30. And that is what makes the big difference for where the electoral votes go, it was just those few votes. So, I definitely think that every single vote counts, and that we need to make our voices heard, and get out, and get more people registered so that we have . . . That our vote matters a little more.

Asset ID: 2021.03.10.b