Georgia's Most Diverse County Votes

“You have to be more than twenty-five feet away from the polling place.”

The poll worker points to the parking lot, indicating where I can stand. This is the second time I’ve been reprimanded.

As voters exit the polling place, I do my best to find a voter who would talk with me about their voting experience and why they chose to vote in this contested midterm election. Finally, I find someone willing to talk.

His name is Akber. Born in India, he became a U.S. citizen in 1993. He says, “It’s very important to vote. It’s your constitutional right.”

When I ask him whom he voted for in the governor’s race, he says he’d rather not share that information but adds, “I vote for the candidate, not the party.” He continues, “I appreciated this country a long time ago when I came. I still do. I’m lucky to be here.”

Akber

Gwinnett County is the most diverse county in Georgia. With more than one million residents, the county has a diversity index of 84%. What does that mean? If two people were selected at random, there would be more than an 84% chance that they would be from different ethnic backgrounds.

A young white couple exits the building, and I ask if they’d be willing to talk with me about the election.

“Sure!” they both reply.

They introduce themselves as Chris and Hannah and get right to the reasons they’re voting in this election.

“For our daughter and the future rights that she will have,” Chris says.

I can hear the concern and passion in his voice. “And also, for democracy. I was never worried about something like that in the past.”

Chris

They voted a straight Democratic ticket. Hannah adds that she has been more politically engaged than Chris in the past. She’s been an avid voter since she was eighteen.

“I used to just pay attention to the general election, but now I am also focused on the primaries.”

Hannah

Gwinnett County has voted Democratic in the last five presidential elections. With the state’s two U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats, the party has a strong presence in the U.S. Senate. Now, Keisha Lance Bottoms’ campaign faces the challenge of getting voters to the polls in hopes of turning the governorship blue as well. Republicans have held a firm grip on Georgia’s highest executive office for more than twenty-three years.

Jim and Donna

A grey bearded man wearing an Australian outback-style hat catches my eye nearby. He’s making a humorous video on his phone, encouraging people to get out and vote. He’s eager to answer my questions about voting.

His name is Jim. His wife, Donna, appears behind him. I ask them why they voted.

Jim answers first: “We wanted to change the way things are right now in America.”

Donna interjects, "We have to unify if we want to change something we don't like. And that means everyone getting out to vote."

Jim is originally from Tanzania, and Donna is a descendant of Indigenous people. The diversity index is clearly off the charts today in Gwinnett.

Did you vote yet? If not, get to the polls and do your civic duty. Just remember that if you intend to speak with voters, you must stay at least twenty-five feet away from the polling place.