When speakers asked the crowd at Friday’s rally about Vice President Kamala Harris in Charlotte who had already voted, the vast majority threw their hands in the air and cheered.
But some of those Harris voters say they still worry about whether their fellow North Carolinians will do the same at the level needed to get Democrats on the ballot for the first time since former President Barack Obama is on track to a presidential victory. 2008.
Obama, the main speaker at Friday’s rally, took advantage of high turnout among black voters and young people. In 2008, turnout among black voters was 73% And 63.9% among 18-25 year olds. These figures dropped to 64.3% and 53% in 2016, and to 68% and 60% in 2020, respectively.
This year, Black voter turnout in North Carolina is down nearly 40% compared to early voting in 2020. And while the state set a single-day record on the first day of early voting, Mecklenburg lagged behind a record high of 2020.
As she waited in line to enter the Charlotte Convention Center for Friday’s meeting, Rosaland Groves said she was “very excited” about Harris’ chances, but also “tense and nervous.” She’s hoping for a big turnout in Charlotte and thinks it will be crucial to Harris’ chances in North Carolina.
“If the turnout is good, I think we’ll do well,” she said.
Dominique Ramsey, a Generation Z voter, said she is cautiously optimistic that her generation will participate in the election. She has seen an increase in the number of people talking about voting on social media platforms like Reddit and is interested in Harris’s ideas on an important topic for young people: housing affordability.
“In 2016, a lot of my peers weren’t taking this seriously,” she said of voting. “I’m glad we’re taking it seriously now.”
Brett Hulme held a sign outside the convention center touting the Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council’s support for Harris. In addition to encouraging his fellow union members to vote, Hulme also tries to energize friends and family who are less invested in politics.
“They are interested in what we have to say and why we support (Harris) because a lot of them just go to work every day. They are not plugged in like some of us on the political spectrum,” he said.
Chris Rich said he is registered as an unaffiliated voter and has voted Republican in the past. This year he is voting for Harris. Rich said he is receiving treatment for cancer and is taking advantage of the Affordable Care Act. He is Also concerned about what restrictions on reproductive health care would mean for his female relatives.
He also worries about disinformation, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Rich owns a home in Boone and says that despite Republican claims of a slow federal response, his experiences with FEMA have been positive.
“They were extremely friendly, very nice,” he said.
Rich said Harris’ economic policies could appeal to voters like him, but he worries misinformation could keep some voters at home or drive them away from the Democratic ticket.
“I think it will be a close election,” he said. “I am cautiously optimistic because unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation out there.”
Other rallygoers, including Maya Lowry, were more confident about Harris’ chances of winning North Carolina. Lowry said her neighborhood in Raleigh is full of Harris-Walz yard signs.
“I feel really good,” she said. “I feel hopeful.”
