Political stakes feel higher than ever for voter advocates in Cumberland Co.: 'Race of a lifetime'

Community organizers in Cumberland County said the historic events in the 2024 election in recent weeks are intensifying their efforts to get out the vote.

"There is a threat on our democracy," Valencia Handy said.

Handy is an organizer with the North Carolina Black Alliance (NCBA). She told ABC11 that getting people registered to vote and energized to get to the polls is a year-round job.

However, she also said the sting of the political violence from former President Donald Trump's assassination attempt makes their work feel more serious than ever. Plus, the shakeup in the democratic ticket with Vice President Kamala Harris now vying for the top spot could motivate people to vote.

"I also think that encourages us to have more qualified candidates of color to be ready to step in place," Handy said.

NCBA tells ABC11 it has knocked on 8,000 doors in Cumberland County in the past two weeks to reach prospective voters. The organization said it is now honing in on rural areas.

"Our rural areas are where a lot of our votes have been overlooked," Handy said.

"(We're) getting them informed about the upcoming election and just voter rights in particular," NCBA organizer Tarvars Denning said. "You know, we have some new voter I.D. laws and stuff, so we just want to make sure that our community is educated about that."

Handy and Denning said reaching those rural voters in North Carolina, a battleground state, could have a major impact on the election results.

"This is going to be a race of a lifetime," Handy said.