Page 28 - Florida Sentinel 10-30-20

Local
Tampa Senior Votes For The First Time At 69
CHARLIE SMITH
... Proudly displays the Vote-By-Mail ballot. This is the first time he has ever voted.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Charlie Smith will cele- brate his 70th birthday on De- cember 21st. But that is not what he has been patiently waiting on. Recently, Smith completed his vote-by-mail ballot and voted for the first time in his life.
It was a proud moment for Smith and it was something that had been missing from his life for many years. Now, Smith encourages anyone who will listen to vote if they can.
Smith is well-known in Tampa, a place where he was born and raised. And, it is also the place where he took chances when he was a young man and got caught.
His first felony conviction began his journey of going in and out of prison. And, as a re- sult of having a felony convic- tion, he lost his right to vote.
Smith said he began sell- ing drugs and then became a user. “I did 16 straight years in prison. I got out, but I didn’t learn. I was arrested again for buying crack from an uncover officer. I was looking at 20 years.
“But the judge sentenced me to 18 months and sent me to a rehabilitation center. And, I thank God everyday for that.”
Smith said he completed 15 months and has not looked back on his past life.
He is now married, a homeowner, and said, “Now, I
know what not to do. You have to exercise whatever rights you have. You have to be responsible.
“I didn’t listen to my elders and young people don’t listen to their elders today. They want to sit back and want someone to give them some- thing.
“I missed out on so much while I was out there. You don’t just hurt yourself, you hurt your family. Young folks need to know that the streets will kill you,” the retired trac- tor-trailer driver said.
In 2018, voters passed Amendment 4, which restored the right to vote to convicted felons. Smith said when he applied for his Voter Registra- tion card, he learned he did not owe any money to the state.
He also credits his wife with standing by his side. He was involved in a traffic acci- dent that left him paralyzed. He was sent home after 2 weeks in the hospital.
“She took care of me and after about two months, I woke up and was able to move my arms. I’ve been moving ever since.”
Married to Mrs. Gloria Smith for nearly 8 years, Smith is a father and grand- father. He is a member of Fruit of the Spirit Church and said he hopes he serves as an inspiration.
“I want to inspire others to vote. If they are voting for the dog catcher, I want to have my say.”
PAGE 4-C FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020