Story by Ethan Davidovitch, Lauren Pehlivanian and Annapurna Bhattacharya; photos by Kulsoom Rizavi
At midday, the Cole Mill Church of Christ polling place for precinct 37 had more hoopla than voters. It seemed like many people had voted early, leaving the polling place largely deserted by voters but populated with campaign volunteers handing out fliers and a DJ playing singalong pop tunes.
The center of much attention was Darrick Woods, who spends most days as the director of nursing programs at Piedmont Community College. A DJ since he was a student at UNC–Chapel Hill, he took the day off to work for DJs at the Polls, a nonprofit group that hired over 4,000 people across the country to provide music at their local polling places.
Woods had no preset playlist but had guidelines to keep his selections family–friendly. At some polling places during early voting, which Woods noted was more lively, groups of little kids would come up to his booth and begin dancing. “Music is the one sorta thing that binds everyone,” he said.
Besides making a little money, Woods was happy to provide relief and entertainment for what can otherwise be a stressful day— “I’m not changing votes, but changing mindsets.” (Woods voted last week.)
Former president Donald Trump won this precinct by almost 20% in 2020, but the small midday group was a mix of Harris and Trump voters
Ingrid Conley, a Triangle-area realtor, distributed sample ballots with suggestions for each race’s Republican candidates. She wore an American flag shawl, which she said she wears four times a year: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Election Day, and Veterans Day. During early voting, she worked as a poll worker inside this same polling place.
One voter had strong feelings to back up his vote. Bill, an unaffiliated conservative who voted for Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Ross Perot, and Bill Clinton, said politics have gotten more extreme since he first voted in the Nixon election, especially on the left. He said that he feels so much of the left is about criticizing the right, and that he doesn’t understand what they’ll do for him. “Sure, Trump’s a pompous ass,” but he cares about improving the average American’s life, Bill said in explaining his vote for the Republican candidate.
In terms of policy, Bill said he does not want his taxes going to politicians who support funding gender–change procedures or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. He said he prefers something he picked up from a tech CEO, MEI— “merit, excellence, intelligence.” He also favors immigration. In fact, Bill sponsored his wife to immigrate from China. She is now studying to be a registered nurse at the Duke University School of Nursing.
Bill was happy to speak about his politics and beliefs. But he would not give his full name— “Bill, that’s all you need.”
— ETHAN DAVIDOVITCH
At noon, Fayetteville Street’s White Rock Baptist Church was quiet. Voters pulled in, cast their ballots, and quickly slipped back to school, work, and all that will persist in their lives post-Election Day.
Marvette Chambers came to the polls during her lunch break. A preschool teacher, Chambers wore bright blue lipstick and long seashell earrings that stood out against the church’s gray parking lot. As colorfully as she was dressed, her demeanor was grim.
“Too many of my ancestors lost their lives so I could have the option to vote,” said Chambers. “Us Black people had to fight to have our voices heard. No matter what the results are, I came to perform my civic duty.”
White Rock Baptist Church is a predominantly African American Church with a long history, founded in 1866. On Election Day it served as a voting precinct for the primarily African American community surrounding it.
Ahbryanna Wilson, 18, was nervous as she entered the polls to vote for the very first time.
“I was stressed because I was getting so many texts saying ‘Vote, vote, vote..’ and my mom was like ‘Make sure you go vote,’ and her boyfriend was like ‘Do you know everyone you’re voting for?’ But I got it done and I’m feeling good,” Wilson said before leaving to get her nails done, as a post-polls treat.
Wilson was not alone in feeling nervous. Poll volunteers, sitting in folding chairs along the path leading to the polls, expressed anxiety about the results.
“The other day, my 11-year-old asked me if I was more scared about what will happen if Trump wins, or if he loses,” said Madeline Seltman, a volunteer with the Durham Democrats. “I was like ‘Well heck.’”
Armed with flyers listing the candidates endorsed by the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, Nathan White reached White Rock at 6:45 in the morning.
“I’m sorry about the kind of world we’re leaving behind for young people,” said White. “There was a time where who you voted for didn’t matter past election day. People could be friends even if they voted differently.
“It’s different now. Today, I worry about a civil war breaking out.”
Julie Tetel agreed.
“I’m terrified,” she said, before launching into the song “Kalinka”– a song in the repertoire of the Russian Red Army Choir – while dancing along.
Even as anticipation, dread, and excitement coalesced, ultimately, people were there to do what they had to do.
“I’m out here because I’ve got to give back to the community,” said White, glancing into the distance. “I’m here, because I have to be.”
— ANNAPURNA BHATTACHARYA
Charlie Thompson has made it a point to vote on Election Day ever since he cast his first vote for Jimmy Carter in 1976.
“I really cherish the right to vote, and want to exercise that on the day of the election. I always do it,” said Thompson, a professor of cultural anthropology at Duke.
On Tuesday, he was second in line to vote at EK Powe Elementary School.
Thompson considered running to the polls as he neared the man who was first in line.
“I could sprint, and I could get there — but, I didn’t.”
The fog hadn’t yet lifted, and the trees beyond the school were blanketed in morning haze. And still, voters were out to cast their ballots in Durham’s third precinct.
Several showed up with dogs or young kids in tow. Many, including Thompson and his dog, Hazel, stayed to chat with the volunteers, who were neighbors or acquaintances.
Thompson felt called upon to vote. “I think that the very idea of our constitution and our democracy are at stake this time,” he said.
Taylor Wells arrived with his wife and their one-year-old daughter, Junie. What was at stake for Wells? He pointed first to his hat, which carried the message, “Vote For Your Daughter.”
“The superintendent [race] is what brought me out today,” he said. As a self-described “Tar Heel diehard,” Wells said his vote for Duke alum Mo Green carried weight.
“If I can vote for a ‘Dukie,’ you can vote for a Democrat.”
The most pressing issues for Wells were childcare, affordable housing, and reproductive rights. “My childcare is more than my rent,” said Wells, who cast his presidential vote for Kamala Harris.
When asked why he came out to vote, though, Wells had a simpler answer.
“I mean, it’s kind of what we do, right?,” he said.
Wells’ wife, Jackie Cook, also voted for Harris. Kneeling beside Junie, who was wearing a “future voter” sticker, Cook said she voted with her young daughter in mind. “I want her to have rights to choose and be in control of her own body. It’s terrifying to think that can be taken away from her,” she said.
She worried, too, about the aftermath of the election.
Cook feared there may be violence following a Harris victory from those who disagree with the results. “If Trump wins, I mean — I haven’t even had a chance to think about it until right now,” she said.
Wells also shared some anxiety about a Trump victory, but remained hopeful.
“My gut feeling is: I’m very optimistic right now,” he said.
Precinct chairman Tom Miller joined volunteers from the People’s Alliance and the Durham County Democratic Party in handing out sample ballots and greeting voters with donuts and coffee.
Miller missed his chance to greet one voter before she stepped too near the polling place. Miller wasn’t bothered, though. “She seems like a Democrat,” he said.
How could he tell? “I know her,” Miller said.
Another voter made his leanings more obvious. As Democratic volunteers attempted to hand him sample ballots, he covered his face, saying repeatedly, “I’m voting for Trump! Trump! Trump! Trump!”
The voter, who didn’t want to be identified, had only one message to share: “It’s challenging being who I am in Durham County.”
***
A man in a hoodie, his hair slightly graying, walked out of the Durham County Main LIbrary in the early afternoon on Election Day, clutching a sample ballot and his driver’s license. As soon as he emerged beyond the orange chalked line, volunteers came together to cheer and fist-bump him, calling him “brave” and “patient.”
He turned toward the volunteers as they thanked him, and made his way to his motorcycle to ride home.
The man, who asked to not be identified, asked volunteers for assistance voting because he cannot read. After nearly an hour inside the polling site — amid some confusion regarding whether or not he could vote — he emerged victorious.
James McGuinness, a volunteer with Democracy NC, was among those who assisted him. McGuinness lives in Washington, D.C., but has spent the past month or so volunteering at polling sites in North Carolina.
“It was a feel-good story, because we’ve seen, unfortunately, some feel-bad stories: People upset, ripping up their provisional ballots because they didn’t understand them,” he said.
“So, this was really nice. They were patient, they were transparent.”
Another voter came out clutching a sheet of paper, upset that she had been instructed to cast a provisional ballot. McGuinness calmed her down, explaining how to follow up and ensure that her ballot was cured.
Although not every voter was greeted with the same reaction, energy was still high outside the library thanks to music from Justin Epps, known as DJ Justn Txme (pronounced “just in time”).
Damal Jackson came out to vote with his stepdaughter, his girlfriend, and her daughter. Jackson, who is originally from Boston, evidenced by his backwards Celtics cap, said he’d voted in each election since he turned 18. He is now 37.
Jackson said he was voting “so Trump won’t win, so he can’t do Project 25, [so] he can’t give police immunity,” he said. “To keep school going,” Linda Robinson, his girlfriend, chimed in.
“I want to give everybody equal rights,” Jackson said, who casted his vote for Harris. Harris’s was the only circle he filled in, he said.
Alia Naomii, a student at North Carolina Central University, was out volunteering with Kinston Teens, a youth-led organization. She greeted voters on their way out and thanked them for voting.
Naomii said she hadn’t voted herself. She was busy, and didn’t register before the deadline.
“Actually coming here though is like, ‘Man, I wish I would’ve registered,’” Naomii said.
“Our ancestors worked so hard for us to have a voice. … Am I doing a dishonor to my ancestors?”
For others, the decision to vote came down to something simpler. Tamika Robinson and her boyfriend Terrence Scoggins said they were tired of receiving political texts and calls.
“Just in the last five minutes, we got 20 text messages, together,” Robinson said. “My whole entire inbox was voting. I’m like, ‘Okay, I get it.’”
–Lauren Pehlivanian