Future voter arrives early: Woman goes into labor at polling place

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/Gray News) — Tessa Von Fange went into labor after a trip to the Shawnee County Elections Office in Kansas, where she went to vote.

Tessa Von Fange is a longtime voter. She said she has missed very few elections.

“I don’t think there are too many elections that I’ve missed,” Tessa Von Fange said. “So, especially as I’ve gotten older, I don’t miss them at all really.”

Labor begins during the trip

Tessa Von Fange thought her baby would be born after Election Day.

“I’m going to make it to that induction. I had already really thought I wasn’t going to have her before then,” Tessa Von Fange said.

Her husband, Chris Von Fange, said an election worker told him his wife was in labor.

“Shocked, I was overwhelmed,” Chris Von Fange said. “Just to hear from the election worker that your wife is in labor is like millions of questions.”

“I was 100% in denial until my water broke,” Tessa Von Fange added.

Baby’s name

The couple had already chosen the baby’s name before the trip.

“We had her name picked out already,” Tessa Von Fange said. “Her name is Morgan, but it did make me think, what would that be? If she were a boy, Chad. I thought that was funny.”

Message to voters

The Von Fanges said everyone should make time to vote.

“No matter what you have going on, there’s always a half-hour of your time that can be spent to go to a polling place to have your vote cast,” Chris Von Fange said.

Tessa Von Fange received a future voter sticker at the elections office.

“That was the only sticker I got, but I stuck it right on my belly and came to the hospital with it on,” she said.

Morgan was born at 1:16 a.m. on Nov. 3. She weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce.