350 Students March to Vote in Charlotte
A protest by UNC Charlotte students led to 350 ballots cast at a nearby library, fueling calls for a permanent campus precinct.
By James Brooks ·
Three hundred fifty UNC Charlotte students cast ballots at the Former University City Library on Thursday after marching from campus to the site. The group, organized by junior Sawyer Hook, sought to demonstrate voter turnout in response to the absence of an on-campus polling place for the current midterm election cycle.
The Cone Building on the UNC Charlotte campus has served as a voting precinct in previous cycles, including the 2024 presidential election. For this election, the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections did not designate a location on campus. Hook, founder of the non-profit The Greater Good, stated that officials cited low expected turnout as the reason for the omission. He argued the march would prove that student participation is strong.
Hook noted that the nearest available polling location was the Former University City Library. The site is a 33-minute walk and a five-minute drive from the Popp Martin Student Union, which is located in the center of campus. The marchers traveled to the library to vote during the event.
Azillyah McDonald, a senior student, supported the effort to establish a dedicated on-campus space. She stated that having a fixed location allows students to access voting information more easily. McDonald said many students do not vote because they are unaware of the process or how it impacts their daily lives.
Kristin Mavromatis, the Public Information Manager for the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, explained that the Former University City Library is a long-standing voting site in the area. She said the board selected this location because it is more accessible to all residents of Mecklenburg County. Mavromatis confirmed that the board made the choice to utilize the library for this specific election.
Organizers of the Thursday march intend to build support for a permanent on-campus voting location for all future elections. The group plans to continue advocating for the change following the turnout demonstrated at the library.
