LIMA — Hundreds gathered at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center on Sunday in an effort to get people to vote early and vote Democratic.
As part of the Souls to the Polls outreach, attendees gathered for a free lunch and rallied behind several speakers pushing for voters to vote a straight Democratic Party ticket. After lunch, people traveled as a group to the Ohio 3rd District Court of Appeals building, where the Allen County Board of Elections was set up to accept absentee ballots, to make sure their votes were received. Transportation was made available to the polling place for those who couldn’t make the walk.
Get Out the Vote Director Adrienne Lever said it was an important election that voters could not take lightly.
“I was working in New York and I came back to Ohio when I saw that Donald Trump was the Republican nominee,” Lever said. “I knew my vote matters more in Ohio than it does in New York. We know the most important voters are right here in Ohio, and the most important voters in Ohio are right here in Lima.”
Lever said it was not only important to vote early, but to also encourage others to get out and vote for Hillary Clinton.
“In two days, I don’t want to be looking back and see Donald Trump as my president,” Lever said. “People are complacent to vote this year because they don’t like the candidates. We have to reach the people that are not in this room.”
The Rev. Dennis Ward of Second Baptist Church said while talking to his daughter Sunday morning, she asked him why he was so excited to vote. He said she was glad she asked the question.
“There is a legacy we should pass on to our children.” Ward said. “We need to stop putting people in office that are not going to make a difference. Make sure you vote today. I believe God will put the right person in office.”
Ward not only urged others to vote for Clinton, he said Lima Democrats needed to step up.
“I look at the ballot and I see Republicans running unopposed,” Ward said. “We need change in Lima and it starts today. I am fired up and ready to go.”
The Rev. Lamont Monford of Lima Philippian Church said it was imperative to vote for Clinton.
“We owe it to our forefathers who lost their lives for the right to vote,” Monford said. “On Nov. 8, we are going to be standing in the winners circle. There is no way in hell I am going to stand up here and tell you to vote for anyone else but Hillary Clinton.”
The event was an effort to encourage people to go and vote early.
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