The last few election cycles have been nothing if not depressing. Starting in 2016, when Donald Trump shocked the world by securing a victory against Hillary Clinton, then 2020, which saw President Joe Biden prevail despite a coup attempt, it seems politics in the United States have been utterly bleak.
A brilliant beam of hope was injected into the 2024 election when Joe Biden stepped out of the race and handed the reigns to his vice president, Kamala Harris. The ascension of Harris flipped the race completely, and saw once-defeated voters rekindle hope, and energy, into a process that was starting to feel pointless. Gone were the pessimists predicting the end of the world, and regular voters, who’d been marching toward a dispiriting future filled with old white men, found themselves excited for the first time in years.
For months, it was unclear if that excitement would actually pay off come election time, but — for one voter, at least — it seems that energy is indeed making its way to the polls. A longtime Tennessee voter, who goes by Stacie on TikTok, recently took to the app to emphasize how that elation is paying off in real time.
Explaining at the outset that she’s considered a “super voter,” because she so avidly exercises her civic duty, Stacie explains that voting in Tennessee has historically been “so easy, its in and out” and all because the state has historically low voter turnout. Practically “nobody votes” in the state in typical election years, since “we’re just so gerrymandered that nobody even tries,” but this isn’t a typical election year. As a result, Stacie showed up to her voting location to a very unexpected sight.
The parking lot was completely packed when Stacie showed up, forcing the TikToker to circle the lot several times to find a spot. She then stepped into a line that stretched all the way around the building, and got confirmation, upon reaching the front, that its been like this for days. An election worker informed Stacie that lines have been forming every day since early voting started, with no end in sight.
“Its the first time I have felt hopeful in this state in a very long time,” a tearful Stacie says, noting that “regardless of who they’re voting for” she’s proud to see so many fellow Tennesseeans show up for a vital democratic right.
Stacie goes on to explain the benefits of early voting, which include freeing up resources on election day, freeing your phone from those irritating texts, and allowing more money to be spent on actual undecided voters. She also advises young voters, particularly first time voters, to bring multiple forms of ID so their right to cast a ballot can’t be infringed upon.
The entire video is a glorious breath of fresh air, and its clear Stacie isn’t alone in feeling hope for the first time in years. Commenters likewise gushed about their own voting experiences, and shared touching stories of human empathy and persisting kindness, all viewed from the lengthy lines outside of voting locations.
If you’re not sure where to cast your in-person ballot, check out nonpartisan nonprofit Vote.org, which allows you to narrow down the closest possible polling location to you. Many are within walking distance, in hopes of making the process as easy as possible, so make sure you check it out — and most importantly, make sure you join Stacie, and vote.