First time voters cast their ballots on Election Day

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Despite record numbers of early voting in North Carolina, the polls were busy today at the Leland Cultural Arts Center.

Voters in Brunswick County came in to vote at the Belville Two precinct in Leland all day.

This afternoon, they had even more voters than expected on Election Day.

“It’s busier than they expected it to be,” Chief Judge Jacqueline Flanigan said. “They expected 248 and we’re over 300 now.”

For some of these voters, today is the first time they’ve ever voted.

One of those first time voters is Michael Beltz.

“My girlfriend told me, ‘well you’ve never voted, why don’t you vote?’ and I said okay I will.” Beltz recalled.

His girlfriend may have gotten him to come into the polls, but he said he wants to vote for change.

“I know the two presidential candidates and I’ve always thought highly of Hillary until I heard all the rift raft that’s been going on in Washington for the last eight years.” Beltz said.

Workers at the polls said that first time voters are not uncommon in presidential elections. They’ve even had first timers in their seventies today.