CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 2 million people participated in the early voting process in North Carolina. Now, polls are closed and the next time you can cast your ballot in person is on Tuesday, just a few days away.
Meanwhile, get-out-the-vote campaigns continue across the region.
Some local organizations are working to mobilize Latino voters and get them to the polls.
“The Hispanic Federation has really worked to meet people where they are at,” said Lariza Garzon with HF.
Celebrating Día de Muertos - The Day of the Dead - is a tradition for many Hispanic and Latino families to honor loved ones who have passed on. Among many of the altars at the festival is a booth to motivate people to vote.
“This is an event that we believe is very close to Latino’s hearts, especially those from Mexico and Central America,” explained Garzon. “So we want to be able to provide them with information about the election at a place where they feel safe.”
The Hispanic Federation also remembers those who fought for voting rights with this altar.
“People have worked so hard and people have died so we can vote. So we need to honor them and do our part and go to the polls,” said Garzon.
More than 260,000 North Carolinians registered to vote identify as Hispanic. 43,000 Hispanic voters are registered in Mecklenburg County. That includes Lukas Hernandez, who is a first-time voter.
“We’re such a large portion of this country. The population is constantly increasing especially in east Charlotte,” said Hernandez. “So it’s important to help our people have more of a say here because we are the fasting growing demographic in this city.”
“We need a better future. Not just in general for North Carolina, for the state, the city but for Latinx communities,” said Giovanna Torres, an early voter.
The HF is further removing barriers by providing transportation and dispelling misinformation.
“There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done because Latinos may come from mixed-status families and may be afraid to vote. Eligible Latinos may be the first Latinos to vote in their families so they don’t have that traditional support to go vote from their families,” said Garzon.
As the community continues to grow, so does the organization’s mission to educate and engage them in the election process.
“The Latino community is just as diverse as any other community. We have people who subscribe to different parties, that have different opinions about different social issues. The most important thing is not what party they subscribe to but that they make their voice heard,” Garzon continued.
The federation, in partnership with the Latin American Coalition, will be providing rides on Election. Call or text 980-320-3743 for more information.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.