Tia Mary. Aunt Mary. That's how everyone calls Mary Fierros, a 100-year-old East San Jose resident who has never skipped a presidential election.
She was born a century ago; the same year that women were given the right to vote, and she has voted ever since Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the White House.
"The minute I was able to, I started voting and I never quit," she said.
Tia Mary is on her 14th president and said she's never seen an election like this in her 100 years.
"I keep up with the news, especially right now," she said. "I see what mess we're in, but I hope people won't give up. I hope they don't give up."
Tia Mary has always been an involved citizen, and her service dates back to before the second World War when her husband was shipped overseas and she became and original Rosie the Riveter by riveting the wins of B-29 bombs.
Every four years since then, she heads to the polls encouraging others to vote.
She says perhaps this is the most important election in her 100 years.
"If we don't speak up right now, we'll never get anywhere," she said. "We made it this far. Like I tell them when I do speeches, 'never give up on your dreams."
