Those were the words 24-year-old Latia Douglas exclaimed on a chilly January night. This is the first presidential election she’s been really involved in and with the help of family and friends she was as proactive as possible.

"I voted early because I wanted to make sure my vote counted."

She and her aunt went together to the polls, beginning what she hoped would be a new family tradition. One day she says she will take her children, nieces and nephews as well.

Douglas voted for Sen. Obama for several reasons, not just because he is African-American like she is. She feels he shares the same values and she appreciates his stance on key issues like the economy.

"Obama seems to want to even the playing field by raising salaries and helping the poor," she said.

She goes on to say she thinks he truly believes change is possible and that he will work hard to achieve it.

When asked about Obama’s main competitor, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Douglas says she isn’t quite sure who is running for office.

"I don’t like the larger role her husband (former President Bill Clinton) is playing in the campaign. If she gets into the White House I need to make sure she is really doing the work. It looks to me like right now he would be running things," she said.

Douglas was referring to the controversy surrounding some comments made by the former president on the campaign trail. That being said, the fact that Hillary Clinton is a woman doesn’t hold much weight with Douglas.

"I don’t appreciate the fact she has to use her husband. As a strong woman she should be able to stand on her own two feet, on her own record."

When asked about her voting experience, Douglas said it was very simple and not technical at all. She didn’t have any trouble using the machine and the workers were friendly and knew the system well.