Oprah's Election Party 2008

The Oprah Winfrey Show | November 04, 2008

Nettie has passed her passion for voting on to her family—a massive group of voters and future voters. Nettie has 11 children, 39 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren! "The simple fact that she, at 109, is very passionate about casting her ballot…it's very important to me to follow suit because she is our matriarch of this family," her granddaughter Alicia says. "She is living history."

Nettie's grandson Daryl says that when he votes, he's not only voting for himself. "When you vote, it's not just a racial issue, it's more than just a Democrat or Republican issue—it's an American issue," he says.

Lyndon Johnson was the first president Nettie's son Allie was able to vote for, and he says he's been voting ever since. "We have a voice now that we didn't always have, and that's a great opportunity," he says.

Nettie thinks everyone should exercise their right to vote and offers her words of wisdom to the youngest voters. "Everybody ought to vote," she says. "Because I think it'll be important. Important for the next generation."