BALTIMORE — In Northeast Baltimore, hundreds of people came to the polls early. Over 300 people voted before 2 pm.
James Benton, Jr. says he remembers his parents and grandparents fighting for the right to vote. He says it is vital that people exercise the right to vote to honor people who couldn't.
"It is so important, no matter who you are coming to vote for. If your conscience tells you what has to be done based on what we have been used to, and what we have seen, and what has been broadcasted, you know what you gotta do. But you have to come and vote, that's the main thing," said Benton.
He also says he is proud to see so many younger people voting in this election.
People like Jasmine Shannon, who voted for the first time.
"This one is a really big one, not only because it's my first time, but we actually do have a Black woman running for president and that's truly big," Shannon said.
She says this vote is historic, and although she has been registered to vote since 2022, she says this election has opened her eyes to the importance of her vote and how important it is to know what questions are on the ballot.
"Getting to actually understand everything and even today, like getting to understand how voting really works and really getting to be behind one of those tents today, like it was really interesting but definitely an experience that I am glad I got to have," Shannon expressed.
That is something Tiffany Richardson emphasized to her friends.
"I think that they should start really talking more about the questions because [of] the wording and the length of it, some people get disengaged and just check anything," Richardson said.
Outside of the presidential election, Question F on the ballot in Baltimore City is really important to voters.
If people vote yes for Question F, it would allow MCB Real Estate to continue with its plans to redevelop the Inner Harbor, a project that Benton says he is in favor of.
"I think it's important because the person who is trying to put some people, a lot of people have left, so that place is just going vacant. Now, you can't just leave it like that they have to do something to upgrade Baltimore City," Benson said.
But no matter how people cast their ballots, each voter knows how important it is to be involved in this election.
"We have some of our friends that [were] not going to vote today, and we actually pulled them out, they took on our energy, and we made them feel like okay, yes, we got to do it, we have to do it, not just for presidential, we have to do it for our state," said Olivia Williams.
