Who knew democracy could be this much fun?
At polling sites in cities throughout North Carolina on Election Day, Nov. 5, voters may find themselves dancing in line, with local DJs providing the beat.
DJs at the Polls, a national, non-partisan get-out-the-vote group, promises to keep the day upbeat and harmonious, providing 3,500 DJs to play family friendly music at more than 7,000 polling sites in battleground states, including North Carolina.
The work has two goals: Get out the vote, and celebrate America’s free and fair elections.
“It’s different and exciting,” says community activist Anton Moore, leader of Philadelphia’s 48th ward, who launched the program in Philadelphia in 2008. In past elections, he has seen “a soul train line. I’ve seen what they call the Cupid Shuffle, the Electric Slide, and line dancing…. People are just excited, so come on and lift your spirit up and keep pushing and keep going. This election really matters.”
Don’t Miss the Music
DJs at the Polls is now running social media campaigns, texting voters, providing updates on Instagram, and sending out postcards so people know that a DJ will be at their voting site.
In North Carolina, star DJs whipping up excitement at 1,300 polling places across the state will include: DJ Darryl Krush—The Game Changer, D-Nyce, Ena Pop and Chuck T.
DJ Darryl Krush, aka Darryl E. Kelson, has played with hip hop legends including Doug E. Fresh, Dana Dane, Kid (of Kid ‘n Play) and shared the stage with the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff. He’s well known for hosting a party every year at the CIAA basketball tournament.
This year, he knew he had to help get out the vote. “Every election is important—this one’s really important,” he told WBTV in Charlotte, “and statistics say that when you have some sort of entertainment or some sort of DJ out there, it increases the turnout by 3%. In a race like this, 3% makes a difference.
“Mind you, we’re nonpartisan,” he said, of DJs at the Polls. “We’re just trying to get the vote out.”
Read More: North Carolina DJ Darryl Krush helps turn voting into a party
North Carolina organizer Chris Suggs, who at 24 is the youngest city council member in Kinston, said although extreme groups try to discourage or disenfranchise young and underrepresented voters, “DJs at the polls is providing a really exciting counter to that by turning up the vote, turning up the music and getting people excited about making our world a better place through the electoral process.”
In coming days, DJs at the Polls will hold events at early voting sites in cities including Charlotte, Greenville, and Kinston. The group is also sponsoring Raid Trains started by DJ D-Nyce on Twitch.
Celebrate Your Civic Duty
From its humble roots at its first Philadelphia location, DJs at the Polls has exploded in growth. This year it expanded nationally and could reach as many as 10 million registered voters in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas and, of course, North Carolina.
“Before it was like, you hand out a pamphlet on election day and say, ‘Hey, vote!’” says founder Moore, 38, who also heads Unity in the Community, which works to prevent gun violence. “I wanted to bring more excitement and fun.”
Roughly one-third of eligible voters didn’t cast ballots in 2020, with many reporting feeling as if their votes didn’t matter, or that voting was too much of a chore. DJs at the Polls focuses on them, particularly in urban areas with large numbers of underrepresented voters—and studies show its strategy works.
DJ D-Nyce, aka Derrick Archie, agrees. “Many younger voters don’t see a reason to vote, but if you make it feel like it’s going to be a fun, interesting thing, we got at least a 50% chance of getting them to get out the house and do it.”
When he hosted during the primary election, he said, “It felt like a party. I had people come up and say, ‘I already voted, but I’m still here,’” because they were having such a good time.
This year, thousands of DJs signed up for a chance to earn as much as $500 per set with two shifts a day, by helping people get excited about doing their civic duty.
In compliance with local election guidelines, the nonprofit’s DJs will set up at the permissible distance from the polling place entrance, and follow all local regulations.
And they’ll be sure to be heard—as will the voices of people they encourage to come out and vote.
For more information:
- Early voting in North Carolina has started! Find out where you can vote early here.
- You can register to vote and vote at the same time at any early voting site in your county until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. Keep in mind that it’s a different story come Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, when most people can’t register and you must vote at your assigned polling place. (You can find your Election Day polling place here.)
- Remember to bring photo ID to vote. If you lost your photo ID due to Hurricane Helene, you can fill out a Photo ID Exception Form at your voting site or return the form with your absentee ballot.
- People in an area affected by Hurricane Helene can find emergency election information here.
- To verify your voter registration status and learn more about this dynamic group of DJs, check the DJs at the Polls’ website.
- Follow DJs at the Polls on Instagram to find out the latest.
- For media inquiries, contact Nancy Friedman at nancy@djsatthepoll.org.
