Estella Vinson, 104, is escorted by her great great great niece, Loretha Barthel and Richard Barthel, toward Sen. Janet Cruz’s campaign bus to meet Cruz and other Florida politicians there during a campaign stop, before voting early at the West Tampa Library, where Vinson has voted for decades, in Tampa on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

Photos: Tampa matriarch votes after celebrating 104th birthday with Florida senators

Hillsborough county resident marks a legacy of exercising her right to vote.
Estella Vinson, 104, is escorted by her great great great niece, Loretha Barthel and Richard Barthel, toward Sen. Janet Cruz’s campaign bus to meet Cruz and other Florida politicians there during a campaign stop, before voting early at the West Tampa Library, where Vinson has voted for decades, in Tampa on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ]
Hillsborough county resident marks a legacy of exercising her right to vote.
By
Published Nov. 3, 2022|Updated Nov. 3, 2022

Familiar faces greeted Estella Vinson on Wednesday as she sat in the shade with her daughter before continuing her decades-long tradition of voting at the West Tampa Library.

She requested B.B. King and a person manning a grill left the barbecue sizzling to play her favorite song on his phone speaker.

“If we don’t straighten this country up, we’re going backwards,” Vinson’s daughter, Willie Mae Williams, 82, told State Sens. Lauren Book and Jason Pizzo during a chat while waiting to meet Sen. Janet Cruz, who gave Vinson a surprise birthday cake in the air conditioning of her campaign tour bus.

Vinson’s birthday was on Oct. 15, and she got to celebrate year 104 with the senators Wednesday before participating in early voting.

Williams remembers when Cruz visited their community center on another occasion when she said, “‘I don’t give a damn about the politics, I’m for what’s right,’ and I believe her.”

“I wish a lot of them believed that, or had that idea everything will be better,” Vinson said before walking to the ballot boxes.

Sen. Janet Cruz greets Estella Vinson and her daughter Willie Mae Williams inside Cruz's campaign tour bus.
Sen. Janet Cruz greets Estella Vinson and her daughter Willie Mae Williams inside Cruz's campaign tour bus.
Estella Vinson smiles while speaking with State Sen. Jason Pizzo and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book on Sen. Janet Cruz’s campaign tour bus parked near the West Tampa Library.
Estella Vinson smiles while speaking with State Sen. Jason Pizzo and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book on Sen. Janet Cruz’s campaign tour bus parked near the West Tampa Library.
Sen. Janet Cruz, center, surprises Estella Vinson, center, and her daughter Willie Mae Williams, 82, right, with a birthday cake for Vinson, whose 104th birthday was on Oct. 15.
Sen. Janet Cruz, center, surprises Estella Vinson, center, and her daughter Willie Mae Williams, 82, right, with a birthday cake for Vinson, whose 104th birthday was on Oct. 15.
Willie Mae Williams cuts her mother’s birthday cake.
Willie Mae Williams cuts her mother’s birthday cake.
Estella Vinson and her daughter Willie Mae Williams walk toward the parking lot after casting their ballots.
Estella Vinson and her daughter Willie Mae Williams walk toward the parking lot after casting their ballots.
Estella Vinson holds her “I voted” sticker after casting her ballot at the West Tampa Library where she has voted for decades.
Estella Vinson holds her “I voted” sticker after casting her ballot at the West Tampa Library where she has voted for decades.
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