Decision 2024

Young voters enthused as first week of early voting closes out in North Texas

Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 1. Early voting hours were extended in Dallas Wednesday through Friday to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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"We want to rock the vote!" said DFW Metro NAACP president Crystal Bates.

She helped organize the Pack the Polls Parade on Saturday. Cars lined up donning red, white, and blue, and a message: Go vote.

"We are all nonpartisan, but we want to empower people to exercise their right to vote," Bates said.

The caravan of voters was from across the Metroplex. They met to support each other as they voted in their respective locations.

“We are going to vote in Denton County, Dallas County, Collin County, and Tarrant County," Bates said.

After the parade, a voting celebration dinner was held. They are among thousands who will cast their ballots this week.

In Dallas County, 317,974 people voted early through Saturday. In Tarrant County, even more people went to the polls, with 340,991 people voting in the first six days of early voting.

Due to high turnout, Dallas County extended early voting hours on Wednesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“I think it’s my privilege to vote and have a say in what happens in our future," said Susan Stokes, who made it to the polls on Saturday after getting off of work too late on Friday.

She's encouraging her neighbors, too.

“I’ve offered my services throughout our neighborhood down the street; if anybody needs a ride, I’m here, and I’m ready to get them up here," Stokes said.

Many took the opportunity to make it a family affair, like Sharmila Sapkota's family, who drove 30 minutes to meet their 18-year-old daughter, who also drove 30 minutes so that they could cast their ballots together.

“It was her first time. She’s excited," Sapkota said. “My husband is a physician, and he doesn’t have time to vote, and this is a Saturday, so I’m like, ‘Let’s go!’ so I made him vote, too.”

They voted at the Bedford Public Library, where a poll worker told NBC 5 that the library had been packed all week and all day—with a line of people waiting outside even before the polls opened Saturday morning at 7 a.m.

"I just think it’s such an important part of us being American citizens to have the chance to vote and have the freedom to share our voice," said Zach Kraemer, who voted at the library with his girlfriend.

Closing out the first week of early voting, they held their stickers-- and shared a message to their neighbors: Go vote.

“I would just say, even if you don’t think that your voice matters, it really does," Kraemer said.

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