100 Stories: Linda & Emily Puertolas
Linda and Emily Puertolas first got involved in campaigns as volunteers in 2008 for President Obama. They continue to do this work because they know how important it is to turn North Carolina blue. Linda is passionate about registering voters because she knows that it’s a privilege to live in America where we have the right to vote.
They also enjoy meeting other people through their Cary field office, knowing that sometimes you even find love.
Linda: I started volunteering in 2008 for Barack Obama. I was really drawn in by his charisma and his message. I had never done any volunteering on a political campaign before but I had to get involved. I became a leader in the organization. My daughter was 13 at the time, and my son was nine, and both of them started doing voter registration and helping out in the office. Emily was even making phone calls and trying to do stuff on the computer, trying to seem older than she was. And then in 2012, we again got involved.
Emily: I was a full-time fellow in 2012. I started in June and worked through the election with the Cary office. And we got a lot of hard work done.
Linda: So in 2008, we turned this state blue for the first time since 1976, and in 2012 we came very close. I was happy Obama won, but sad that he didn’t win North Carolina. This time around, in 2016, we are going blue and winning.
Linda: There have been so many wonderful people that I’ve met. I’ve met people over the years that have become good friends. I met a man in 2008 and we are now together as a couple. It’s a pretty cool community and way to get involved with people.
Emily: I like meeting people and having them say, “I didn’t know that a millennial could understand the issues and was interested in voting and working on a campaign.” A lot of people have a view of our generation that we are apathetic, but we can be very involved.
Linda: Voter registration is what I am the most passionate about because I feel very frustrated that some people don’t even choose to vote. In some countries, they literally go and risk their lives to vote. In this country, if it rains, people stay home. I am all about registering voters. We do this in a non-partisan way, and we register everyone. Then, we help them remember to go to the polls. That’s how we win.
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