A steady stream of voters filed into Cornelius Town Hall on Tuesday, about 45 minutes north of Charlotte, to cast their votes.
Some said they voted for Nikki Haley today, but plan to vote for President Joe Biden in November. Others were looking forward to another term for Donald Trump as president.
Beverly Klyn, a registered unaffiliated voter, chose to vote as a Republican today. As a senior, she said she is somewhat offended that some people suggest President Joe Biden is too old.
“I find him more wise,” she said. “And the people he surrounds himself with are very knowledgeable and give him advice.”
Today, she cast a ballot for Nikki Haley. She described it as a protest vote against Trump.
“I think the choice is there – democracy or autocracy,” she told CNN. “There’s no choice, it’s democracy.”
Brian Nelson had a similar strategy. He said he dislikes some of Trump’s policies and rhetoric, so he voted for his competitor.
“Republicans deserve a better choice and I think that’s Nikki Haley,” he said. But Nelson said he plans to vote for Biden come November.
Some registered Republicans who spoke with CNN cast a ballot for Trump.
“He’s the only man who can help us as a county and bring everything back the way it should be – a normal day-to-day living for all Americans,” said Dennis Strickland.
He said he had no concerns about voting for Trump amid his numerous criminal charges. Strickland said his top concern is securing the southern border, saying that “if we don’t, we’re going to lose our country.”
Fellow Republican Phil Maher agreed. He also voted for Trump today.
“I like his policies,” he told CNN. “I liked him when he was in office. It works for me.”