Source: WGHP
Early voting is underway in North Carolina, and millions across the state have already cast their ballots. With many people heading to the various early voting locations across the state, from churches to schools, many students from North Carolina A&T State University got together to vote on campus.
Organized by the political groups America Votes and Advance North Carolina, dozens of students and alumni marched from the Williams Dining Hall to the Dudley Building. The Dudley building, which is the location of the early voting site on campus, has been a designated polling location since 2020 as set by the Guilford County Board of Elections.
Having a voting site on campus benefits the students, according to Mikayla Massey, an A&T student who joined the march. She points out the significance of this particular university. “It’s really important to have a convenient voting spot on campus for so many reasons. But for one, we have the largest HBCU in the entire nation. We have over 12,000 students who go here … Giving them the opportunity to have accessible voting booths is especially important,” Massey said.
It’s estimated that about 80% of North Carolina’s A&T University’s student body is made up of Black students and it is the largest historically Black university in the country. Providing accessible voting locations to this population is important as Black voters are a key demographic in this election according to political science Professor Brandon Lenoir.
Lenoir is a professor at High Point University and states how both candidates are vying for the votes of Black male voters. Explaining that, by recent polls, Vice President Kamala Harris holds the majority of votes from Black men with 70%, whereas former President Donald Trump holds 20%. Though Harris holds the lead, her 70% is down by 17% compared to support for Joe Biden in 2020. Additionally, as Trump’s 20% may seem low, his support is up from his 2020 run.
“Now that doesn’t sound like a huge number, but when you’re talking about an election, especially in a state that is separated by a percentage, that can make a difference in the outcome of the election,” Lenoir said.
This election holds great importance to many Americans and North Carolina has been seen as a key battleground state for both candidates. Claudia Jordan, a former Celebrity Apprentice competitor who marched with students to the polls, says there’s a lot at stake in this election.
“In this election, I see a disconnect … We don’t really need a lot with such a close election,” Jordan said.
Early voting is underway and is continuing until 3 p.m. on Nov. 2. Election Day is on Nov. 5. The early voting site at A&T University is located at Dudley Building, which is located right off of Yanceyville Street. To find your early voting location, check out the State Board of Elections website.
