Elizabeth Gonzales, an educator from Georgia, initially felt uncertain about voting in this presidential election, feeling overwhelmed by the political turmoil stemming from the 2020 race in her state.
However, determined to make her voice heard, Gonzales arrived at her polling station in Fulton County at 5 a.m., securing the first spot in line—two hours before the polls opened. This site is one of 177 polling locations across the county.
“I know that my voice counts and my voice needs to be heard,” she told CNN, sporting an ‘I’m a Georgia voter’ sticker.
Gonzales, in her 60s, did not want to name the candidate that earned her vote, but she said there’s one major issue that drove her to cast her ballot — women’s reproductive rights.
“The way husbands are sacrificing their wives, children are sacrificing their mothers and doctors are being threatened with jail time all because women need their reproductive rights,” she said. “Women have the right to their health. It should be between the health care providers and the woman.”
The issue of abortion also drove voter Asia Brownlee to the polls. She voted for Kamala Harris.
Originally from the battleground state of Michigan, Brownlee told CNN she became a permanent resident in the Peach State this year to make a difference.
“As an African American, and I come from a diverse background, I believe that women should have rights,” Brownlee, who is a travel nurse, said. “It’s our bodies, politicians should not be able to tell us what to do with our bodies, especially as an RN, health care is very important.”
Brownlee described the process of getting registered to vote as “tedious.” She said she had to place numerous phone calls to finally resolve becoming an active voter in Fulton County on the last day of early voting, but work hours forced her to put casting her ballot off until early Election Day.
“I’m able to make a difference. It’s very important. This is a crucial election,” she said on the importance of voting.
