Nun to Cast First Ballot After 56 Years

Oct. 15, 2008 — -- The last time Mother Cecelia Gaudette voted, Dwight Eisenhower won the race for the White House.

Now, 56 years after she cast her last presidential ballot, the 106-year-old nun has decided this election is too monumental to miss.

"I think it's very important," she said. Mother Cecelia, who resides in Rome, may be the oldest voter to cast an absentee ballot this election. She reads the paper daily and watches the evening news to keep up with current events.

She asked fellow nun 78-year-old Mother Mary to help her get an overseas ballot. The problem was that on the U.S. election Web site the birth years for potential voters only goes back to 1905 — three years after Mother Cecelia was born.

Eventually Mother Cecelia was able to register.

"And she was happy to know that she could vote," Mother Mary said.

And while the last time she voted Mother Cecelia sided with the Republican candidate, this year she decided to go with the Democrat.

"[Barack] Obama. I think he's the man, really. I think so," she said.

Though Mother Cecelia wants Obama to win, she said no matter who wins, the next president will have a difficult job.

"I pity the poor man who will be president," she said.

Having lived through 18 presidents, she has some advice for the next man to become commander in chief.

"He should be like a father, and love his people. And love his people … and do the best of course," Mother Cecelia said.

And if she has things her way, this won't be her last presidential election. She plans to hit the polls in 2012.