PULASKI, Va. – The downtown Pulaski polling location saw a steady stream of voters throughout the day Tuesday, with residents saying they felt a deep personal and patriotic responsibility to cast their ballots.
Poll workers told at least one voter the location had been busy all day — not just during peak hours. Candy Stowers, a Pulaski County resident who voted Tuesday, said she was caught off guard by the turnout.
“I was really surprised. I asked inside going, is this busy just now?” Stowers said. “She said no, it’s been like this all day. So that’s, that’s great.”
Stowers added that the high turnout carried a deeper meaning for her. “It’s important that they actually hear what the people of Pulaski County want,” she said.
Voters invoke military sacrifice
For some residents, the act of voting carries a personal weight tied to family members who served in the military. Burman Grantham said his father, uncle, and brothers-in-law all served in combat — including in the Pacific theater, Okinawa, and Normandy during World War II.
“My daddy was in the Pacific, others down in Okinawa, and Normandy — they fought their way in,” Grantham said. “And it’s so we could have our freedom, and people need to get back to that.”
‘A god-given right’
Brent Adkins said he views voting as both a civic obligation and a fundamental American right.
“I think it’s important as an American to get out and vote. It’s our right. It’s our god-given right and, you know, just to express our views,” Adkins said. “If we want things changed here in America, we need to get out here and vote.”
Pam Akers echoed that sentiment in a single, direct statement. “I think it’s important that every vote is counted,” she said.
Voters who are unsure where to cast their ballot can visit the Voter Registration Office in downtown Pulaski for assistance.