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D.C. Residents Line Up to Cast Their Ballots on Election Day

WASHINGTON: Tuesday morning, Washington D.C. residents lined up as early as 6 a.m. to cast their votes at Columbia Heights Community Center for the 2016 presidential election. Voters of different ages, backgrounds, and political affiliations cast their votes for the next president of the United States.

Voters line up to vote at one of the many polls in Washington D.C. Photo by Sam Corsey

Yannik Morgan, born in Sierra Leone and raised in Saudi Arabia, expressed his excitement about voting in his first election as a new U.S. citizen. “I’m feeling very positive about [the election]. Although [I’m] anxious, that might be localized to me, because it’s my first time voting.”

Other voters expressed dissatisfaction with this year’s presidential campaign, but felt obligated to practice their right to vote. First time voter Jolanda McNeill said, “[This year’s campaign season] was terrible… [but] voting is important. At the end of the day, we need someone who is best for the United States.”

Brendan McEntee stood in line and read a copy of The Washington Post that showed Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the front page. McEntee voted in the last presidential election, and considers this year’s election a unique experience from previous elections. “I think we’re getting a lot of people to the polls who haven’t been to the polls, and I like that,” McEntee says. “But I also think there’s a lot of negativity.”

In addition to electing a new president, Washingtonians will locally vote for council members, State Board of Education members, and decide whether the District of Columbia should pursue statehood.

Dotti Love Wade, candidate for Ward 1 Advisory Neighborhood Commission, believes D.C. statehood would definitely benefit the District by providing more federal representation for D.C. residents. “We don’t have the right to a state Senator or a congressman. We can [currently] only vote for the president and local officials.”

Polls in the District of Columbia remain open until 8 p.m. Unregistered voters can still register, but proof of residency is required. Residents can visit the D.C. Board of Elections website to find their respective polling locations