Jackson County residents voted at over 50 polling places around the area on Election Day, deciding on races for president as well as some local offices.
Polling places were open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. with ‘polling place’ signs directing people to the correct lines.
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Carbondale resident Paulene Price who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris said it’s an important election with a lot at stake.
“There’s a lot on the line for our country. Also, I’m invested in the race for state’s attorney,” said Price. “I work with Marsha Cascio-Hale, and as much as I would hate to lose her as a colleague, she would make an excellent state’s attorney.”
Marsha Cascio-Hale is the Democratic candidate running as the Jackson County State’s attorney against current State’s Attorney Joe Cervantez.
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Price’s main concerns with this election are women’s rights and making sure the U.S. is secure for the citizens.
“I want America to be safe for everybody, and I want the lower and the middle class to have better opportunities,” Price said. “I want our president to not cater to the rich. I don’t want it to be a power trip, I want somebody that will lead our country with unity.”
SIU and John A. Logan College student Samuel Jackson, who came to vote at the Carbondale High School, said voting is important because democracy is the foundation of the country.
“I just think that everyone should [vote],” Jackson said. “If we’re going to make decisions about the country and about our future, everyone should have a voice, regardless of anything.”
Most of Jackson’s concerns are around marginalized communities’ rights and citizen’s access to citizen’s possessions.
“I’m worried about future home ownership, I’m worried about trans rights, I’m worried about a lot of things,” Jackson said. “I’d like to keep the freedoms I have and maybe have a positive view for the future. Right now, not so much.”
When it comes to policies the top candidates have, Jackson said he sees more bad than good on both sides. Even though he voted for Harris it felt like he was picking between the lesser of two evils.
“I’d like to see some actual reform for the country. I’d like to see progress. Workers rights are a big thing,” Jackson said. “I’d like to see just a protection of rights in general.”
This is the third major election Jackson participated in since 2016 noticing more negativity around this election than others.
“It’s a lot more hostile now. I mean, this voting experience was great. This was fast and easy, but just in general, it feels like the political climate is very hot right now,” Jackson said. “If things don’t go one party’s way it’ll be bad and if it doesn’t go the other party’s way it’ll be even worse.”
Music teacher at the Practice Pad in Carbondale Joe Palermo said he came to vote at the Carbondale High School for the president for the typical reasons.
“The future, the present, important issues. Just a lot going on. Critical time,” Palermo said. “Just seems like a lot of animosity in society. So it’s important that we kind of come together and make some good decisions.”
Palermo voted for Harris and most of his political concerns come from social issues and division, he said. He seeks togetherness from both parties.
“I’m looking for unity, a lot of arguing and just like animosity, and that’s kind of what I’m trying to hope will go away right now,” Palermo said. “Just like people come together, get more willing to talk and quit yelling.”
With voting for the Democratic candidate Palermo said his biggest hope is the republican candidate does not come back in office after seeing his actions during his term and the Biden-Harris administration.
“It’s kind of a bizarre election to me,” Palermo said. “We’ve got one candidate that’s a convicted felon and has been impeached and the other candidate was kind of placed in at the last minute. So, it’s just a little bizarre and a little different from anything I’ve seen.”
Jackson Bradley, who works for the SIU Credit Union and the Landmark Realty Group, voted because he wants his voice heard and believes others should too, but is fearful from the climates around the election.
“I’m low-keypretty scared because a lot of people’s rights are on the line,” Bradley said. “A lot of hate is being normalized, and I really don’t want to see that.”
Many of Bradley’s concerns lie with rights for marginalized and climate change and its impact on earth.
“Reproductive rights, I don’t think that’s any man’s decision. I want to see more rights for people of color and for the LGBTQIA community,” Bradley said. “I also want to see climate change taken seriously, because we can’t fight for any rights if we don’t have a place to live.”
Bradley said making sure things are affordable for citizens so people similar to him don’t have to work multiple jobs to keep a roof over their heads.
“I think that’s probably my biggest deal with this specific election is for us to start caring more about that,” Bradley said. “As we see the weather events are getting crazier and crazier, we don’t have to give up. There’s still time to fix that.”
To stay up to date on all your southern Illinois news, be sure to follow The Daily Egyptian on Facebook and @dailyegyptian on X [formerly known as Twitter].
Jamilah Lewis can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.
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