Asheville, North Carolina is a place devastated by recent hurricanes and floods. A place where people lost everything. How is the campaign there? Is there even a place for it?
This year's campaign in Asheville looks completely different. On the one hand, it focuses on revitalizing the electoral infrastructure so that residents of affected areas can fully vote, on the other hand, it focuses on aid.
Carolina and I meet in the suburbs of Asheville, North Carolina. First, we will visit the tourist part of the city, which was recently renovated and prepared for visitors. Everything is ruined today. There is no drinking water there for weeks. There is still no electricity in many places. The children only returned to school on Monday.
– People say that we will get out of this unscathed, it will be repaired, they will rebuild, but there are many tragedies. People lost their things, they lost their jobs, says Carolina Hopkins. Carolina has been living in this area for eight years. His house was not damaged.
She's a social worker, which means she's been working on collecting and distributing aid for the past few weeks.
Door to door method
How did the recent disaster affect the election? – For example, I should have voted in absentia. My ballot got damaged in the storm and got wet. I also have to go and vote again, – answered Carolina Hopkins in response to the question of how this natural disaster will affect the elections in her city.
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North Carolina is one of seven key states that Donald Trump needs to win first, that is, to collect 270 electoral votes. Because she's already won there twice, Kamala Harris' team is trying to get it back this time. Madison Sings is the leader of Harris' campaign volunteers, who go door-to-door to talk to voters. Members of the staff know well who voted, where and how. Therefore, the list of addresses is prepared carefully. This past week, they mostly bashed the Democrats. – This is why the participation of voters. “We want to knock on the doors of registered Democrats who haven't voted in years and talk about voting because this is a really important election,” said Madison Singhs, Kamala Harris' chief of staff in Asheville.
In hurricane-ravaged areas, Joey tells us, they don't campaign. There they help and give information about the polling stations.
– We ask if they need anything, if they feel safe and comfortable, as well as psychologically to talk about the election. If so, we give them an informational packet, says Joey Malone, a volunteer on the Kamala Harris staff in Asheville.
It could decide the outcome of the White House race. Abortion among “very important” topics for voters Justina Zuber/Fakty o Świecie TVN24 BiS
– I don't know how many people have the opportunity to vote. On the other hand, as soon as the polling stations opened, two-hour queues appeared, says Karolina Hopkins.
In one of these places we met Lucy and her family. They came to vote. As they say: for the good future of their children. – To be honest, I am very worried and nervous, but at the same time I hope that Harris will win – says Mrs. Lucy.
Main photo source: TVN24
