'Democracy is on the ballot': Durham church hosts Souls to the Polls event ahead of 2024 primary
North Carolina's 2024 primary election is on March 5, and a Church in Durham spent Sunday getting people motivated to cast their ballots. Parishioners of the St. Joseph AME Church packed the pews to hear a powerful message.
Posted — UpdatedNorth Carolina’s 2024 primary election is on March 5, and a Church in Durham spent Sunday getting people motivated to cast their ballots.
Parishioners of the St. Joseph AME Church packed the pews to hear a powerful message.
“Democracy is on the ballot,” Duke professor and President/CEO of NNPA Benjamin Chavis said. “Equality is on the ballot, so everybody needs to go out and vote.”
Chavis, a civil rights activist, served as the keynote speaker for the Souls to the Polls event, encouraging people at the church to exercise a right that took decades of blood, sweat and tears to achieve for everyone.
“Durham has always been the center of political empowerment,” he said. “Not only in Durham [and] Durham County, but throughout eastern North Carolina. I would say, in a sense, to the whole state of North Carolina.”
Many voters said they were concerned the 2024 presidential election would be a repeat of 2016.
“It’s important, now more than ever, to vote,” Nastasia Watkins said. “With the redistricting and the North Carolina General Assembly, they’re trying to take the right from Black voters.”
Dozens of the people North Carolinians will see on the primary ballots, from Republicans to Democrats, stood up at the event to show their attendance.
“Every day as your governor, I will work to make sure this economy works for everyone, that our kids learn in good, strong public schools, and [that] we live in safe communities.” Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein said.
After the event, cars traveled from the church to a voting precinct at North Carolina Central University’s law school.
“When you think about politics, you only think about those engulfed in the political arena. However, when you go to places like St. Joseph AME, you see little kids, our elders and a diverse group of people that understand the needs of our people.”
As the charge to the polls in the final days of early voting picks up speed, Chavis believes we’ll see great turnout across the state.
“I think North Carolina is going to defy the polls,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a large youth, middle age [and] elderly turnout. Come on, North Carolina, let’s get out the vote.”
Early voting ends on Saturday, Mar. 2.
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