Democracy At Its Finest: Alton's Kegan Bratton Casts First Vote Of His Life At Early Voting

Oct 23, 2020 9:00 AM Oct 23, 2020 2:02 PM

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Kegan Bratton and his mother, Danielle. Thursday was the first time the 18-year-old Kegan had voted in an election. ALTON - Alton High School senior student-athlete Kegan Bratton had an experience he will not soon forget thanks to the Early Voting organized at the Scott Bibb Center in Alton on Thursday afternoon.

Bratton said he knows 2020 is an especially important year to be voting with the presidential election at stake between incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Bratton is a standout football player and track and field athlete for the Redbirds and also an excellent student. He is a perfect example of a team participant in track and field and is a member of the 4 x 100, 4 x 200, and 4 x 400 relays for Alton.

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“This is pretty new for me, but I am excited to vote,” Bratton said. “I had been thinking about it a lot before today. And, know that it is very important to vote in the presidential election.”

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Danielle Bratton, Kegan's mother, said she has worked a lot with her son on the importance of voting and Democracy at work. She said he has asked her several times when they would vote. Danielle was extremely thankful to Rosie Brown and Abe Lee Barham for organizing the Early Voting location in Alton.

“I am very proud of him,” she said. “I have tried to instill in him the importance of our right to vote and how people have fought for this right. To discount it is nothing but a shame.”

The Early Voting is scheduled at the Scott Bibb Center at 1004 E. Fifth St. in Alton daily. Call Brown at (618) 580-2394 or Barham at (618) 799-9157.

The schedule for Friday is 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Oct. 26-30 the voting times are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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