Johnson County voters feel anxious, hopeful about Nov. 5 election

Voters in Johnson County are feeling anxious, but hopeful about the upcoming election.

Nearly 3,292 people voted on Saturday, the first day of Saturday voting this election cycle. More than 27,286 people have voted in Johnson County as of Saturday. The presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, has voters turning out in droves to cast their votes early.

The Daily Journal talked to nearly two dozen voters in Greenwood on Saturday to gauge their moods ahead of the Nov. 5 election. Nearly all of the voters said they feel anxious about the upcoming election and polarization between both major parties, but remain hopeful about the future of the country. A handful of voters believe this is a historic moment and pivotal election for the United States.

For the Purvis family, Brittany Turner Purvis, 44, and Jonathan Purvis, 48, wanted to show their kids how they can make a difference in the world, Turner Purvis said. They believe that “every single person in the United States is valued and worthy for who they are,” and want to make sure their vote reflects that, they said.

They are feeling “a lot of anxiety,” and feelings of overwhelm around the Nov. 5 election, Turner Purvis said, at some points getting emotional. “Extreme polarization” and a lack of openness to listen to differing viewpoints make this election emotional for Turner Purvis.

The Purvis family felt it was important to educate their three children on bullying and treating people with respect and want to make sure who they vote into office reflects their family values, Turner Purvis said.

“There’s a sense of hopelessness and helplessness with a lot of people in the community about like, nothing’s gonna change, and this is one way it can change,” Turner Purvis said. “Our kids know that us voting today is a step to make it better, but really what it comes down to is how they treat each other and how they model our family values with their friends and that this is the step to make social change. It’s not the only one, but this is our step in the right direction.”

Despite the anxiety, there is a sense of hope for the Purvis family, they said. Even if their candidate doesn’t win, it is a joyful moment to vote with their family and fight for their voices to be heard, they said.

Jennifer Armstrong, 46, is nervous about the results but says however the election plays out though, “God will carry us through,” she said. Armstrong agrees with some of Trump’s policies that she feels Harris is “ignorant” on, she said.

Armstrong has gotten more into politics in the last few years to see things more clearly for her children’s and grandchildren’s futures. Armstrong said she is scared “with the way things are” and “how people can perceive things that aren’t perceivable,” such as men using women’s bathrooms.

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Friends Noey Bowersox, 22, and Hemaksi Vats, 21, voted for the first time on Saturday. Vats was excited to vote for the first time since turning 18 and receiving citizenship status, she said.

Bowersox and Vats were “scared and nervous” about the election and are “deeply terrified” about Project 2025, a 900-page policy book from the Heritage Foundation that proposes to “gut the federal workforce and dismantle federal agencies,” according to the Associated Press. Trump has downplayed his campaign’s association with the policy book, but many fear portions of it could be enacted if he’s elected.

The policy book includes language about mass deportations and the elimination of birthright citizenship. Bowersox is concerned because his father immigrated from Germany and a lot of his friends are first-generation immigrants.

Bowersox also feels like the election is “do or die,” but he also isn’t enthusiastic about Harris. Vats agreed, saying a Harris vote is the “lesser of two evils.”

“We have one candidate, it feels like it’s gonna be all hell breaks loose. And it feels like another candidate, it feels like we’re slapping on a band-aid for another four years,” Bowersox said.

Jim Smith, 70, voted early on Saturday to “help the political system move forward.” Smith’s feelings on the upcoming election are indifferent. The election is undecided and he’ll find out what the outcome is along with everyone else, he said. Smith isn’t feeling any type of way about the election, he said.

“It’s just part of the process, you have to deal with it,” Smith said.

Hayden Damron, 18, voted because he was given the right to vote and didn’t want to waste it. He felt uncertain about the results, but ultimately thinks things will remain the same regardless of who wins, he said.

Justin Lane, 44, feels this election is essentially the same as others, but thinks it is interesting to see the difference in opinions between candidates and the limited choices on the ballot.

“I feel like no matter what happens, the world will keep turning,” Lane said.

Lane is overall optimistic because he knows there are “peaks and valleys” when it comes to the future of the country. Lane felt strongly about Indiana’s gubernatorial race and he dislikes the Republican candidate Mike Braun. For his wife and his niece, he thought it would be best to vote for Democrat Jennifer McCormick.

Kelly Griffith-Daniel, 64, said this election is important because she sees the United States as “going back” particularly with women’s rights. Women should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies, Griffith-Daniel said.

Jessica Copeland, 35, and Josh Copeland, 43, are worried about election fraud, illegal immigration and how it will play out on Nov. 5. Despite the uncertainty, they are hopeful and will wait to see what happens. This is a pivotal election because of the “two complete extremes” of Harris and Trump, Jessica Copeland said.

Will Eberhart, 19, voted for the first time on Saturday. Eberhart said he feels it is important to vote because of the polarization from both sides. No matter what side someone may be on, it’s important to put your opinion forward, he said.

Eberhart feels like the election could go either way. He doesn’t feel like his social liberties are most at risk, but he is worried that minority groups could be at risk because the presidential candidates have spoken very differently about minorities during the campaign.

Kiontae Harper, 32, is feeling “pretty confident” in a Trump victory. Harper feels like the country has “a long way to go,” but he sees a start to fix some problems like gun rights, the economy and immigration, he said.

Erik Schwarz, 60, also thinks Trump will win. He says things were better four years ago when Trump was president and he wants to see him back in office so things can ”look just like it was when he was in office four years ago,” he said.

David Cartagenas, 40, wanted to be a part of a “historic moment” in voting for Harris. If elected, she would be the first female president and since she has a Black father and an Indian mother, she would also be the first Asian president.

Cartagenas is anxious, but is trying to remain positive because there’s a lot of energy in the younger generation to get back to “normal politics,” he said.

“I think it’s easy to fall into the negative rhetoric, so it’s easy for me to just like the positive message of let’s try to get back to just being American,” Cartagenas said.