Ariana Grande extended a hand for the voters who waited in line at the single polling location in Jefferson County in Kentucky. The singer sent food and coffee trucks to help out the voters.
On Tuesday, some American states hold primary elections. The event garnered a large turnout of voters which also resulted in long lines in polling locations. Many in Jefferson County remained in line past the waiting time of 6 p.m.
The primary in Jefferson County trended online after voters expressed their frustration as they got locked out of the sole polling place in the area, the Expo Center. This triggered accusations of voter suppression.
Grande tweeted that she sent food and beverages for those waiting in line and praised them for exercising their rights to vote. The 26-year-old songstress also shared a photo of some voters wearing shirts and holding signs that read "black voters matter" and "vote today."
Fans thanked the "Rain On Me" singer for her generosity and support to the voters in Kentucky. Many also praised Ariana for using her social media account in inspiring others to help out.
Ari has been a staunch supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. She also encourages her fans to exercise their right to vote. Grande recently shared with her fans the dates for upcoming primaries and reminded them that voting from home is also an option.
State elections were pushed back this month from its original schedule in May because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many states and counties have also adjusted their polling practices such including absentee voting or voting from home as options.
Prior to the primaries, Kentucky already came under fire as a chaotic state election has been predicted because of the very limited number of in-person polling locations. The elections officials previously decided to limit the number of polling places in the state because of coronavirus concern. In Jefferson County, for instance, the Exposition Center is the only designated polling place that services the voters in the entire area.
Apparently, in a typical election, there are about 3,700 polling stations in the state. Only 170 were available on Tuesday across Kentucky, and only one opened in Jefferson County, one of the state's most populous cities and home to Kentucky's largest Black community.
The state primary is a crucial stage as this will determine the shape of the upcoming congressional race in November. In Kentucky, the primary is a matchup between Amy McGrath and Charles Booker. Whoever wins between the two Democratic candidates would have a chance to face Republican candidate and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.
