Casting their ballots, Ashevillians participated in the democratic process. The primary voting system will determine who from what parties will run in the November general election.
A shuttle driver doing his rounds, Russell Martin, rolled around transporting students at UNC Asheville to the polling center just up the road, a quaint little bookshop of well worn pages lining the walls.
Russell had voted in every election he could, way back to Nixon. No election has felt unimportant to him, despite room for ups and downs in such a feeling. He recognized the interconnectedness of political spheres of influence, of civic duty and interaction.
“I think young people need to take their voting obligation more seriously. It’s a civic duty that we have to understand that it’s important for people to get out and express their opinion by voting,” Russell said.
After getting dropped off at the polls, Cynthia was soon to follow in line and just as quick to talk with. She’d lived in Asheville since the 80’s, falling in love with the mountains as one is wont to do. In the time she had in line before processing an authorized to vote form, she expressed how proud she was of youngsters voting. Her first amendment was then cut short, it was time to vote.
A voter goes to the first clerk who serves as a greeter to direct the voter to the next clerk who processes the voter’s ID.
Importantly within the context of North Carolina’s voter ID laws, UNCA’s student ID is currently permissible as a valid voting ID.
The clerk that processes and gives an “authorized to vote” form after verifying the identity of the voter then puts that form in a binder and gets to put a numbered sticker on a gridded page. This is a skill that develops a keen dexterity and brings great satisfaction to the sticker placer.
This clerk then directs the voter to the next clerk who gives a blank rectangular page with a corner cut in the top right. This then goes in a little beep boop box with a touch screen for the candidates of your discretion.
Complete your ballot, retrieve it and put it in another ballot thingy mcbob.
You have now voted. What a magical process. you even get a lovely sticker to do with as you wish.
“We have an obligation we need to value because so many people have fought and died for our freedom, and for us to not take advantage of the situation that we have when we need to vote is not very good as far as understanding how democracy works and our obligations to support it,”Former mayor of Asheville Russell Martin said.
Russell at times did an empty loop. But sometimes getting eight or 10 participants of democracy at a time. It is helpful and dutiful work.
On one ride back to the university an observation was made:
“Ive talked to a lot of people on campus about voting and they’re just kinda like ‘oh I don’t know maybe’, when I think really they mean I’m not gonna do it because I think people are getting sort’ve lazy and also maybe just how messed up stuff is right now, people are losing hope they can do anything. People should push through the laziness or doubt,” UNCA student Naia Renwick said.
“I’d say that’s most of the people I know,” fellow student Ray Renwick said.
For the habitual voter, the stakes of voting are a high of hope and a low of anxiety. “That’s all I could really do, have hope and be anxious,” Naia said.
Some voters are motivated by watershed events, like UNCA student Joshua Sanchez seeing the severity of political outcomes.
“When ICE started happening. I thought there are enough people keeping the good fight going to where I can mind my own business, keep my head to the ground and get by for me.”
Recent events have led to him becoming a much more active participant within the democratic process.
Whilst driving and doing his itinerant round,
“I’m pleased we’re getting more people voting,” Russell said.
