60 years of many happy returns
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Hedda Elk and her husband, George, both 90, leave the Valencia Borough Building after casting their votes yesterday on her birthday. They never have missed voting in an election since turning 21.
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George and Hedda Elk met and fell in love working on an election campaign, going door to door in the Bronx, N.Y., 62 years ago for an off-year congressional race.
So what better way for the Butler County couple to celebrate both their 60th wedding anniversary and Mrs. Elk's 90th birthday yesterday than with a trip to the polls.
For decades, the Elks have been loyal Democrats and dedicated voters, dating to the votes they cast for Franklin Roosevelt on multiple occasions during World War II, when both were serving in the Army.
And while many baby boomers draw comparisons between Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, Mr. Elk sees similarities between Mr. Obama and Mr. Roosevelt.
"The background was similar," said Mr. Elk, who turned 90 himself on April 9. "It was the Depression. Things were bad all over."
"Hoover promised us a car in every garage," interjected Mrs. Elk.
"Roosevelt came and gave us hope and I feel like we have some of the same thing today," said Mr. Elk. "With oil and so on, people just don't know what to do. I think Obama is giving us some hope."
And with older voters and women skewing toward Hillary Rodham Clinton, does Mrs. Elk feel the same way as her husband?
"She better," joked Mr. Elk. "I'll divorce her."
The Elks went to the Valencia Borough Building around noon to cast their ballots for Obama; both are in good physical shape and can walk without assistance. Other older voters wished Mrs. Elk a happy birthday and joked as the couple posed for a photograph.
"Put your arm around her, George," heckled one man sitting in his car.
The Elks spent nearly their entire lives in New York, living in the Bronx, Queens and upstate near Albany. Mr. Elk worked as an accountant and later an antiques dealer, while Mrs. Elk worked as a social worker.
They moved to the Pittsburgh area four years ago to be closer to their son, who also lives in Valencia.
They've both voted in nearly every federal election since they turned 21, and the one they missed was not for lack of trying: They were vacationing in Europe on Election Day and the absentee ballots that they requested never arrived, said Mrs. Elk.
The Pennsylvania primary, they say, was unusually exciting, even in the context of all of the elections they have to compare it to.
As for the primary falling on their anniversary: "That's a coincidence," said Mr. Elk. "Maybe God just meant it that way."
First Published April 23, 2008 12:00 am
