By De’vante Young
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Baltimoreans looking to cast their votes early entered the James McHenry Recreation Center on Hollins Street as children screamed and chased each other around the playground nearby.
The importance of voting varies by individual, but some voters at the polls want to change perceptions of voting while ensuring their voices are heard.
Many Baltimore voters aim to bring about local change, leading by example as advocates for increased community engagement.
Anna, 30, a Baltimore voter, acknowledges her responsibility to enact meaningful change in her community that benefits everyone.
“I just really care about supporting the community and making changes on a local level,” Anna said.
She believes the ballot includes measures to address issues specifically affecting Baltimore, such as education and healthcare.
“There were a lot of measures on the ballot about taking out bond measures to put money back into the community. A lot of stuff to change the school systems and continue the monetary support put into our public schools and mental health funds,” Anna continued.
Concerns about how ballot questions will impact Baltimore and the larger community are echoed by other voters, and many share similar motivations for coming out to vote.
Christian Johnson, 37, hopes his participation will inspire skeptical voters to overcome negative perceptions of voting.
“You should not believe the misconception that your vote doesn’t count because if you don’t vote, the decision is made for you, and it could negatively impact you if you don’t speak up,” Johnson said.
This idea is central to the mission of Out For Justice, a nonprofit organization working to motivate voters.
Neka Duckett-Randolph, 29, Membership Advocacy & Strategic Partnership Coordinator with Out For Justice, has made it her mission to bring more people to the polls and to thank those who have already voted.
“We’re actually going to three different voting locations today, and then on election day, we’ll be visiting another eight voting locations in Baltimore City,” Randolph said.
These efforts aim to boost civic engagement among Baltimore residents who feel that their votes may not have mattered.
Randolph believes there are numerous reasons for the lack of voter engagement in Baltimore, yet she feels these challenges can be addressed to remove the sense of disenfranchisement.
“A lot of us, when we think about our civic duty or civic engagement, only think about voting. But there is so much more to it, and we’re living in interesting electoral times because many people feel disengaged from their civic duty. They feel disenfranchised by the voting process and lack hope,” Randolph said.
Hope, Randolph emphasizes, is a driving force behind effective civic engagement. She wants more voters to recognize how misinformation can distort their understanding of the voting process.
“My work has shown me that people’s lack of experience and knowledge contribute to this. There is so much misinformation and so many things that complicate voting when you’re just advocating for yourself.”
This self-advocacy may be what motivated so many Baltimoreans to vote early in this election, as the city aims to amplify its voice and burnish the image of Charm City.