Orange County community members share their opinions on Election Day

North Carolina residents went to their local polling stations on Tuesday to vote on issues that mattered to them in the midterm election, including women's rights, education and political polarization. 

The polls were open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m on Election Day.

UNC senior Alasdair McNinch, 21, voted at Carrboro Town Hall. He said he would be voting in favor of education, abortion and "actual" climate action. 

“[I’m] looking for, definitely, some left-leaning candidates, just for some more progressive policies on abortion stuff because it's become such a crazy culture war," McNinch said. "Obviously, we need to move forward on the right agenda just in terms of climate.” 

Also at the Carrboro Town Hall polling station was Conny Morrison, 32, who volunteered at polling places.

She said there are many important, current issues on the ballot. 

“I care a lot about reproductive rights. I care a lot about climate change," Morrison said. "I care a lot about having a stable democracy and being able to vote and have politicians that respect the results of those elections.” 

She added that she feels an absolute sense of urgency when it comes to the 2022 midterm elections. 

She said while volunteering at UNC’s polling place located at the Sonja Hayes Stone Center, she noticed people who were very excited, but she also noticed a lot of confusion about when to register and vote. 

She said she hopes North Carolina straightens out its system, so citizens can register and vote on the same day — even Election Day — because she thinks it would be simpler and help people better access voting. 

“I think that's always been a challenge with younger people, just making them feel like they have a voice and making sure that they go and put that into a vote,” she said. “But I think people want to vote, we just have to help them harness that and help them access voting.”

In regard to college students, she said it is a hard decision to decide whether to vote in one's home state or college town. but what’s important is that they are voting somewhere. 

UNC Graduate student Julia Mackessy, 25, said she follows the Forward Party. She said polarization is a large issue and explained that she has issues with mainstream media and social media.

She also said she voted Democratic for her entire ballot because she didn’t have time to do research, and added that she did a lot more research for the 2020 Primary Elections.

Mackessy said other large issues included healthcare and the economy. 

Tanatswa Washaya, 23, a UNC graduate who is originally from Zimbabwe, said she voted at First Baptist Church.

She explained that she feels a great sense of urgency with this election, particularly with women’s rights issues, but doesn't feel as if that sense of urgency is shared amongst her peers. 

Samuel Jones, 28, also said low voter turnout is a large problem. He said many people, particularly those who are liberal, don’t go to the polls. Jones also voted at the Carrboro polling station. 

Last-minute campaigners for the Green Party, the Democratic Party and the Republican party were also at both polling stations. They urged voters to align with their respective candidates as they walked in to cast their ballots. 

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@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com 

Editor's Note: Alasdair McNinch is a former writer for the City & State Desk of The Daily Tar Heel.