Historical primary draws thousands

Of the 93,873 registered voters in Iredell County, 28,463 (30.31 percent) marked ballots in Tuesday’s primaries.

“It’s the beginning of something, I guess,” the 77-year-old lifelong Democrat said after casting her ballot at Christ Boulevard Methodist Church.

Voters in Iredell County turned out in record numbers for a historic Democratic primary whose outcome promises the first-ever black or female presidential nominee from a major political party.

Of the 93,873 registered voters in Iredell County, 28,463 (30.31 percent) marked ballots in Tuesday’s primaries.

In Mooresville, Fieldstone Presbyterian Church and the Mooresville War Memorial Building had “great” turnouts according to precinct workers, but congested traffic left booths standing empty at Peninsula Baptist Church, where only 420 ballots had been cast by 3 p.m.

“The biggest complaint is the location,” said Chief Judge Phyllis Norris, citing busy Brawley School Road as a deterrent for potential voters.

Other complaints from Mooresville polls included the party-line voting on primary ballots.

“A few people complained they can’t just vote for a person,” Norris said, noting that some voters wanted to cast ballots for both Democrats and Republicans. “A lot of people don’t understand that because they haven’t voted in a primary in years.”

Other voters couldn’t wait to get their hands on a ballot.

At Shiloh AME Zion Church in Statesville, John Hardy, 53, said he felt called to participate in what he sees as history in the making.

“This is historic. I had to be a part of it,” Hardy said. “It’s something that ain’t never happened before. I personally believe that we’re either going to get Barack (Obama) or Hillary (Clinton) in there. There’s not been an African -American or a woman president since George Washington wore a wig.”

Iredell County Commissioner Steve Johnson - who is not up for re-election this year - noted independents and first-time voters turned out in large numbers Tuesday.

“I’ve got to hand it to the Democrats,” the Republican said while canvassing incoming voters outside the Christ Boulevard voting precinct. “They’re pretty pumped up today.”

First-time voters Kathryn Alexander, 21, and Beth Cartner, 18, both of Harmony, had loved ones serving overseas on their minds as they cast primary ballots.

“I got personally involved because I have so many friends and family over there,” Alexander said.

“I voted for Hillary because she’s been talking about bringing the troops home,” Cartner said.

Betty Jean Baity, chief judge at Troutman Town Hall’s voting precinct, said an Iredell County Board of Election official informed her that 506 voters had passed through the precinct by 11 a.m., making it the busiest voting location in the county.

“You have to appreciate that at this precinct they’re also voting on the liquor issue,” Baity said of a referendum that would allow the sale of liquor by the glass at local restaurants.

Troutman voter Robin Rankin said she voted in favor of the liquor referendum because progress is coming to Troutman “whether we want it or not.”

With less than an hour for voters to cast ballots inside Statesville’s Civic Center on Tuesday evening, Statesville resident Daryl Cobb, 49, said he doesn’t typically vote in every election, but this one is different.

“I want to see change bad,” Cobb said, explaining his vote for Obama. “We need change. People don’t have jobs and can’t pay their mortgage. The cost of food’s going up. Gas prices are through the roof. I mean, come on.”

And for Statesville resident Sharon Myers, 30, the opportunity to vote is a hard-won civic duty.

“A lot of people died and were killed for me to have the right to vote,” Myers said. “People were lynched, so voting is a very meaningful thing. Some people take it lightly, but I do not.”

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