As Americans head to the polls, we sent photographers out to three key battleground states to spotlight voters, who spoke about their hopes and fears in the midterm elections. They met people voting out of concern for the economy, women’s rights and threats to democracy. They also found people driven by optimism for greater unity and hope that their vote would make a difference. Meet some of the voters who are deciding the fate of politics in their home states.
Georgia
One of the highest-profile key races of the election, which could decide which party controls the Senate, is in Georgia where the Democratic senator Raphael Warnock is up against the Republican former football star Herschel Walker, a Trump acolyte.
A vocal anti-abortion advocate, Walker’s campaign was rocked by reports that he paid for former girlfriends to have abortions in the past. If neither candidate gets 50% of the vote, the race will go to a runoff in early December.
Meanwhile, in the state’s gubernatorial election, Democrat Stacey Abrams is taking on the Republican incumbent, Brian Kemp, in a rerun of their 2018 contest which she narrowly lost. Kemp is leading in the polls in this year’s contest.
I’m excited about voting – about making the change that we need in our government.”
Addie Blake, 80
I am grateful for the opportunity to vote, it’s something that I honestly take for granted. I’m proud to get it done and I hope it makes a difference.”
Portia Mejia, 35
I’m just trying to fix what’s going wrong with the economy and keep things rolling. I’m voting for the person I think is going to change things.”
Austin Gilbert, 24
I don’t really have any strong opinions. I’m just excited that I’m able to vote and maybe make a difference.”
Katie Shelley, 22
Photographs and interviews by Morgan Hornsby in Ringgold, Georgia
Nevada
Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the first Latina to serve in the Senate, is defending her seat against the state attorney general, Adam Laxalt, a Republican who spearheaded his party’s efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory there in the 2020 election.
Cortez Masto has emphasized abortion rights, while Laxalt has sought to harness voter concerns about rising prices – a pattern playing out in other states as well. The race has remained extremely close.
I am concerned about the candidates that are not sure about the election results, of the last election. It bothers me a lot of them are on the ballot and could potentially be elected.”
Franz Gaiter, 73
I decided to vote because there are so many things wrong with our country and the only way we can change it is to make our voice heard.”
Sherilyn Clark, 58
Hopefully we can elect people that will look out for the future of our kids. We have young kids and thats what we are most concerned about, that we have a country that we can all be proud of, but also that the economy rebounds and people have jobs and things stay positive.”
Martin Little, 51, and Patricia Kaytia, 39
I hate to say it, by I fear it’s going to go the other way, the other direction. That I won’t have rights that I obviously should have as a woman.”
Lynn Monica, age undisclosed
Hope is that no matter who wins, that there will be some type of coming together. We talk about unity and we talk about being united, but it remains to be seen.”
Austin Donovan, 42
This is my first time voting, I just became an American citizen and thats one of the things I wanted to do. Being an American now, voting is very important.”
Chiyo Houchen, age undisclosed
Photographs and interviews by Saeed Rahbaran in Las Vegas, Nevada
Ohio
Trump-endorsed JD Vance, author of the bestseller Hillbilly Elegy, should hold the advantage against the Democratic US representative Tim Ryan in the Senate race for a state that has trended Republican over the past decade.
Ryan has emphasized his blue-collar background, supporting domestic jobs and a $15 minimum wage as his key policy planks, and distanced himself from his party’s liberal wing. But non-partisan analysts say Vance – who Republican groups have spent heavily on to shore up his prospects – is still is more likely to win.
I still feel small in the grand scheme of things. I’m worried that even though I know my vote counts, in the back of my head I still feel ‘Does it really?’”
Somnia Keesey, 22
My hopes and fears on the election are women’s rights across the board and loss of democracy. Trying to stem the rise of hate in the country.”
Chris Burke, 61
Basically I’m voting for the freedom of our country. To shrink the great divide in America today and the fight for the continued freedom of our election.”
Chris Hardman, 68
Photographs and interviews by Rich-Joseph Facun in Athens, Ohio
