By PETER RICCIO
Capital News Service
BOWIE, Md. – Sue Livera, a 79-year-old retired Democrat voting Tuesday at Bowie High School, said abortion rights and a school board race are what drew her to the polls.
“Choice has to be paramount,” she said of the abortion issue. “Nobody else should be able to tell anybody what to do with your body. It doesn’t make sense for someone else to have an opinion about someone else’s body.”
A statewide ballot question would enshrine abortion protections in the Maryland constitution.
Livera, originally from New Jersey, said she moved to Bowie and worked as a school counselor in Prince George’s County Public Schools. She is now retired and has spent time campaigning for Angela Alsobrooks, the county executive running for U.S. Senate.
“I asked to serve here (Bowie High School) because I was an elementary school counselor so there is a likelihood I know more people here,” she said. Livera said she loves seeing kids she worked with finally able to exercise their right to vote.
Being a school counselor made her realize how important the local elections can be. She said she voted for Zipporah Miller, the current school board member for District 5, because Miller helped to keep a local elementary school open.
