WS Chronicle

NBA superstar and Winston-Salem native Chris Paul did his part to encourage young people to exercise their right to vote earlier this week when he led a procession of more than 1,000 students to the early voting site on the campus of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). 

Paul, who announced he enrolled as a student at WSSU earlier this year, met hundreds of his classmates at the clock tower in the center of campus on Tuesday evening before marching to the Anderson Center, one of 17 early voting sites located throughout Forsyth County. Before leading the march, Paul thanked students for coming. He also reminded the students that they have the power to make a difference on Nov. 3. 

According to politico.com, members of Generation Z who are of voting age, want more government solutions. They rank climate change, racism and economic inequality consistently in their top issues, according to polls, and they participated in greater numbers during their first midterm (in 2018) than previous generations. And census data provided by the Brookings Institution shows Millennials and Gen Z’s of voting age make up 37% of all eligible voters. 

“I just really appreciate y’all being out here,” said Paul when addressing the students gathered around the clock tower. “I hope you guys realize how powerful y’all are.”

While marching through the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Reynolds Park Road, Terrance Jordan, a sophomore, said he already voted but decided to come out anyway. 

“I think it’s important to vote because so many people died for us to have this right,” he continued, “especially with what we have in the White House right now.”

Outside the Anderson Center, there were several food trucks set up and the Red Sea of Sound provided the music for the occasion. While enjoying the performance, sophomore business major Jennifer Cobb said the event kind of felt like homecoming. “I think this is cool and a good way to get students to vote,” she said. 

Several candidates attended the rally as well, including Kathy Manning, who is running to represent the 6th District Congressional District, and Mike Silver, who is running for District Court Judge. Silver said it was exciting to see so many young people get involved in the voting process. 

“It was great seeing so many students energized and excited about having a role in the political process,” said Silver. “Chris Paul and the Student Government Association did an excellent job planning the event.” 

Early Voting in North Carolina continues through Oct. 31. During the early voting period, citizens may cast a ballot at any early voting site in the county. If you’ve voted in N.C. before, you will not need to show ID to vote, but voters will be asked to give their name and address before receiving a ballot. 

Those who are not registered to vote can take advantage of same-day registration. According to the N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE), same-day registrants must sign a voter registration application, attest to their eligibility, and provide proof of where they live, such as a driver’s license or other photo ID, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck. 

Within two business days of the person’s registration, the county Board of Elections will verify the registrant’s driver’s license or Social Security number, update the voter registration database, search for possible duplicate registration, and begin to verify the registrant’s address by mail. 

The registrant’s ballot will be counted unless the county Board of Elections determines that he or she is not qualified to vote that ballot.

Thursday and Friday polls will be open from 8 a.m. – 7: 30 p.m., and on Saturday, the last day of early voting, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov 3. Curbside voting is also available at all early voting sites. 

For more information, visit https://www.forsyth.cc/elections/default.aspx.