'I hope we can all come together no matter how this turns out:' Lee County voters speak up Election Day
LEE COUNTY – The economy, women's rights and preserving democracy were top of mind for Lee County voters as they visited the polls Tuesday.
The county, which has 23,202 active registered voters, saw a record high early voting turnout with 11,228 advanced ballots cast, compared to 10,246 during the 2020 general election. The majority of Lee voters voted for former President Trump in 2020, while Georgia flipped blue for President Biden. It's a red county in a cluster of counties that historically lean blue.
While no lines to vote formed in front of the county's 10 precincts Tuesday, a steady flow of voters came in and out the doors throughout the day.
Delphine McGrady arrived at her rural Smithville precinct at about 11 a.m., dressed in hot pink converse, shining pearls and a green and pink top. McGrady, who is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority chapter in Americus, said she felt anxious about this year's presidential election – not quite sure what the outcome would look like.
"The rhetoric, the back and forth, the nastiness – regardless of what the outcome is, I'm not sure what next week will look like," she said. "That concerns me."
McGrady said she's never missed an opportunity to vote. This year, a woman's right to choose and democracy were at the top of her mind as she filled out her ballot.
"The person I voted for, I think, is more apt to deliver on the issues that are important and displays common decency," she said.
Around the same time McGrady cast her vote, Destiny, 35, and Carolyn, 33 exited the polling site. The two asked for their last names not to be published for work security reasons.
"I'm hoping to wake up tomorrow with Trump as president," Carolyn said.
She comes from a family who's been farming in Lee County for about a century. She said this year she had an interest in farming row crops on some of that acreage but was met with skyrocketing start-up costs and little opportunities for financial help.
Destiny said there were no grants for Carolyn, a white woman, despite the Biden administration giving aid to minority farmers. In July, Congress allocated $2.2 billion in funding to minority farmers who had experienced discrimination.
"It doesn't feel like it's equal," Destiny said. "She'd (Carolyn) like to keep the farm going, but there's no grants for her. We feel like right now, it's critical for everyone to be able to get grants to farm."
The two said they believe Trump was on his way to providing these grants during his presidency.
"The way it's going, you're having to sell your land," Destiny said. "Trump's so important to get voted in because he wants things produced here in America. He's like, 'We have the resources here, and if we don't, let's find how we can get them.'"
Carolyn said she believes the economy was better with Trump as president.
"We work a 40-hour week, and we're taxed to death," she said. "Inflation, cost of groceries have skyrocketed with Trump out of office."
Precinct 7 at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Leesburg started to get busy in the last two hours the polls were open.
John Dorough, Leighann Dorough and their daughter, Makayla Lashley-Dorough, came to the polls as a family. It was 19-year-old Lashley-Dorough's first time voting in an election. The three proudly casted their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris.
"I was really excited for her to have this opportunity," Leighann said. "We didn't vote early. We purposely waited for Election Day so she could have the experience."
Lashley-Dorough said she was voting for people's rights, especially women's rights.
"I think the government is becoming more Christian-based," she said. "I myself am a Christian, and I think church and state should be separated."
Her mom and dad echoed that sentiment.
"Regardless of our personal beliefs, we don't have the right to choose what someone else does with their body," Leighann said.
John said he was voting to protect women's rights and to stop a convicted felon from taking office.
"There was really no choice," he said.
John said he was feeling optimistic about the election.
Leighann said regardless of the election results, she hopes the country can remain united.
"I hope we can all come together no matter how this turns out," she said.
Demetric Noble, a 22-year-old Albany State University Student, said abortion and women's rights were his main election decider as he cast his vote for Harris, despite not fully supporting either candidate. Noble is registered as an Independent.
"I want women to have the right to abortion; so, I'm riding out with Kamala," he said.
Noble said Trump's character drove him away from voting for the former president.
"He is a proven felon," he said. "He sexually assaulted numerous women and even bragged about it."
Noble said he believes there is a misconception among Trump supporters that his tax plan will be effective and that the economy was better under his leadership – however, Noble said he inherited these things from Barack Obama's presidency.
He said he saw a lot of excitement among voters when Harris became the Democratic nominee.
"She's ready, and she has the experience," Noble said.
