FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Community activists in Cumberland County said historic events in the 2024 election in recent weeks have intensified efforts to encourage people to vote.
“Our democracy is under threat,” Valencia Handy said.
Handy is an activist with the North Carolina Black Alliance (NCBA), and he told ABC11 that encouraging people to register to vote and motivate them to show up to the polls is a year-round job.
But she also said the sting of political violence following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has made people feel their jobs more seriously than ever. And an upset among Democratic candidates, with Vice President Kamala Harris vying for the top spot, could also motivate people to vote.
“I also think this will ensure that more qualified candidates of color are prepared to serve,” Handy said.
NCBA told ABC11 it has canvassed 8,000 homes in Cumberland County over the past two weeks to reach out to potential voters, and the organization is now focusing on rural areas.
“It's the rural areas where a lot of our votes have been overlooked,” Handy said.
“(We're) giving them information about the upcoming election and especially voter rights,” said NCBA organizer Tarvers Denning. “You know, we have new laws with voter ID and things like that, so we want to make sure people in the community are aware of that.”
Handy and Denning said appealing to rural voters in the battleground state of North Carolina could have a big impact on the election outcome.
“This will be a once in a lifetime race,” Handy said.
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