By Tai Saint Louis and Nolan Strong
One hour after David Banner cast his vote Jackson, Mississippi, the rapper/producer is issuing a warning to the millions around the country who will be doing the same throughout the day.
The Jackson native, who remains an active political voice in the Hip-Hop community, wants to remind voters to be aware of possible malfunctions as they vote, especially in states with electronic ballots.
“I got a report from a lady that I’m standing by, who’s like they got some screens that’s sensitive, when you touch them, they come up Republican automatically,” he told AllHipHop.com as he was leaving his local polling place. “People need to make sure that they watch and make sure that when they’re voting, it’s going in as it’s supposed to go in.”
While he did note that only one person had reported this problem to him directly, Banner’s caution echoes what several have been saying since the early voting process began two weeks ago in some states.
According to Virginia-based political consulting firm Election Data Services, Inc., electronic voting systems are being used in more than twice the number of counties nationwide, than in local elections in 2006.
This year, more than 55 million voters in 3,100 counties will cast their ballots electronically, representing about 33 percent of the 169 million registered voters.
With his own ballot cast, Banner will spend the rest of the afternoon delivering water and other comforts to those waiting in line with the help of his cousin, a first time voter.
Early news reports indicate that today is already shaping up to be one of the largest general election turnouts in Mississippi’s history, with lines at one Jackson poll backed up nearly 100 yards even before doors had opened.
Banner also urges citizens around the country to remember that Election Day is only one step in the process.
“Barack put something in people that they believe [in],” he told AllHipHop.com. “And that’s why it’s really, really important that we remember that this process is bigger than just one person. However this thing turns out, we gotta continue this fight. It’s not just for today. Barack isn’t going to be our savior. He is the door opener for us to be able to do what we have to do as citizens.”
Just hours ago, both Presidential candidates exercised their rights as United States citizens and cast their respective ballots.
Senator John McCain returned to his home state of Arizona to cast his vote before continuing on a last minute campaign push across the Southwest.
Senator Barack Obama and his wife Michelle wear among the first to vote at their neighborhood polling place in Chicago this morning.
Banner urged people to continue to be politically active long after the elections are over.
“The pressure isn’t solely on him [Barack], it’s on each and every individual. It’s on me, it’s on you,” Banner continued. “Even the whole tone of how I approach my music and how I approach my community and the things I want to do, it has to be taken to another level. People have to remember that Obama has eight years to clean up. So we just have to keep in mind that it’s gonna be a process. We already see what happens if a person like McCain wins. We been going through that for eight years.”