Chris FrazierDurham Mayor Leonardo Williams, Chancellor Karrie Dixon, and Minister and Activist William Barber were among the voters at N.C. Central University’s largest voter turnouts last Thursday.
Students, staff, faculty and Durhamites met in front of the New Student Center on Nelson Street. Dixon, Williams, and SGA Political Action and Community Engagement Director Sha’Lexus Sanders addressed the crowd.
“It is very important from an election standpoint, folks have been trying to take this voting site away for a long time,” Williams said, adding that the crowd size has the potential to impact races directly.
Sanders said that witnessing the representation on stage was inspiring.
“Our Chancellor … our Mayor taking time out of their day to speak to our students,” she said. “That lets me know that they’re here for us.”
From there, NCCU’s Sound Machine Marching Band and Williams led the crowd down Nelson Street toward the School of Law, NCCU’s voting location.
Following the Sound Machine, Dixon, SGA students and the Royal Court smiled with every step.
“Our students are paying attention. They are aware,” Dixon said. “They understand the importance of casting their vote. It’s been really exciting to see.”
Organizations like the Men’s Achievement Center carried banners. Fraternities including Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and Zeta Phi Beta marched. One group of students sang throughout the journey, cheering as they entered the School of Law’s roundabout.
According to Calleen Herbert, director of Community Engagement and Service, the march displayed the student mobilization NCCU’s Civic Engagement Working Group aimed to achieve.
“Their vote is their voice,” Herbert said, adding that she has learned much from NCCU students. “These students want to be educated on what they’re voting for.”
This moment comes as early voting continues across the United States. Early voting turnout in North Carolina has hit record highs following the political blitz from both the Democratic and Republican parties to vote early.
According to the N.C. State Board of Elections, by Oct. 20, more than 1 million North Carolinians voted.
Also, NCCU Student Affairs announced on Oct. 16, one day before the early voting cycle began, that Eagles can reprint their IDs for free, if their photos are faded. This would restore their Eagle Card to its original form.
The Eagle card is one form of ID that serves as voter identification. Other types of approved ID include a driver’s license, state ID, voter photo ID, or a passport.
As the crowd completed their journey to their ballots, Barber arrived and congratulated Eagles for fulfilling their civic duty.
“It’s time for the Sound Machine to go to work,” the NCCU alumnus said. “Let that sound be the feet of young people and college students voting like never before.”
“You’re in history, you’re of history and you’re making history.”
