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Andrea Robinson wanted to cast her vote early in what she sees as a critical election that will redefine Charlotte's economic direction.
That's why she was among the estimated 1,840 people who voted Saturday on the first day of early voting at Mecklenburg County libraries.
That was more than three times the number who voted during seven days of early voting that began Oct. 15 at the Hal Marshall annex uptown.
"I see Charlotte at a crossroads," said Robinson, 55, who showed up in the rain at South County Regional Library on Saturday morning.
Issues that concern her include diversifying the economy, improving mass transit and having a school system that puts educating children ahead of "fighting over who goes to what school."
Both Democrats and Republicans made a push to get out the vote at libraries Saturday, describing early voting as an important election strategy.
Republican mayoral hopeful John Lassiter, plus GOP candidates for City Council and school board, spoke from the bed of a red pickup truck in the South County library parking lot Saturday morning. They took the rally to the Independence and University City libraries in the afternoon.
Democratic mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx spoke at an afternoon rally at Clanton Road Park, then marched with other candidates and supporters to the nearby West Boulevard Library to vote.
Cami Bambini, county Republican Party co-chair for volunteers, said her party aims to reap the benefits of early voting the way Democrats did in the 2008 presidential election.
Last year, half the county voters who voted in the general election did so during early voting.
Statewide, Democrats and African Americans voted early in disproportionate numbers, giving Barack Obama a 180,000-vote margin going into Election Day. He carried the state by 14,000 votes.
"I think you will see more Republicans coming out as a referendum to the 2008 results," Bambini said.
County Democratic party chair Joel Ford said his party got 50 percent of its base out for early voting last year. He called the practice "a major part of our strategy."
The two parties aren't the only ones promoting early voting.
Today, a coalition of groups is organizing a "Souls to the Polls" effort with several churches, designed to get their congregants to vote early.
At the West Boulevard Library on Saturday, Melody White said she voted early in part because of her concern over redrawing school boundaries and unequal resources for schools.
She graduated from East Mecklenburg High and said she was appalled that parents of students at affluent schools like Myers Park High don't want to send their children to what she considers a high-quality school.
"We all want the best for our children," she said. The way to have that, she said, is to bring all schools up to the same standards.
