Voters in Berlin share personal reasons behind presidential election

Communities in New Hampshire reported that participation was very high for Tuesday’s election.

Nate Hegyi, host of NHPR Outside/Inside podcast went out to talk to voters across the North Country about what was going through their minds as they headed to the polls.

In Berlin, where the city is almost evenly split between Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2020, Nate found many people deeply and personally involved in the presidential race.

Listen to this story by clicking the play button above. You can also read a full transcript below.

(Nate Hegyi) Hello, I’m from New Hampshire Public Radio. Do you have time to answer a few questions?

(Errol Decker) Go ahead!

(Nate) Okay, perfect. What is your name, surname and the city you live in?

(Errol) Errol Decker, Berlin.

(Nate) Hmm, okay. So it’s obvious you’re out of the poll. Who was the candidate you were most excited about?

(Errol) I… I don’t disclose this.

(Nate) So what were you most worried about going into this election?

(Errol) Hmm… You’ll get it, right? (laughs)

(Nate) Well, we just… you know…

(Errol) I can’t last another four years. (laughs) Ok…. So this answers the first question…

(Nate) Answers the first question. Why?

(Errol) Because the economy has never been this bad.

(Nate) How do you feel about this in your personal life?

(Errol) When do you pay $1.50 for a product that you paid a dollar for four years ago? This is not 7 percent inflation.

(Nate) Yeah, yeah.

(Errol) Okay? That’s 50% in my book.

(Nate) What are you most interested in when you think of this town?

(Errol) Oh, employability? There are no factories anymore. There are no major employers.

(Nate) So how did the anonymous candidate say, (Nate, Errol laughs) what… How could Anonymous fix this?

(Errol) It’s hard. I mean, there’s that, there’s that… Any president is in a difficult position to fix something on the fly. We are so dependent on the pulp mill and various other jobs that we don’t know what to do anymore. They left.

(Nate) Yes.

(Errol) And they won’t come back.

(sound of people walking and talking in front of the polling place)

(Ashley Pierce) Ashley Pierce is in Berlin.

(Nate) So why did you come to vote today?

(Ashley) I don’t want him to win.

(Nate) Who is “him”?

(Ashley) Donald Trump. I don’t want him to win.

(Nate) So what worries you about him?

(Ashley) Her views on women’s health.

(Nate) Were you always anti-Trump, or were there times when you voted for him or liked him?

(Ashley) I was going to vote for him in 2020 but I moved so I didn’t.

(Nate) What made you change your mind between 2020 and 2024?

(Ashley) Girl.

(Nate) What’s your daughter’s name?

Aurora.

Aurora! That’s a beautiful name, Aurora.

(Ashley) She is 2 years old.

(Nate) And that was the most important thing, to have a daughter, to take care of women’s…

(Ashley) He needs to have a future.

(Nate) Don’t you see a future with Donald Trump as president?

No.

(Nate) Okay, okay.

(voice outside polling place)

(Ian Wilson) I live in Berlin. My name and surname are Ian Wilson. An old Scottish name.

(Nate) I like it.

(Ian) Yes, yes.

(Nate) What were you most worried about going to the polls today?

(Ian) Abortion. Abortion is of no use.

(Nate) It’s useless. Why this?

(Ian) Because this is infanticide. He kills the child. This is a baby. A piece of sphere, not a piece of junk. This is a person and this is murder. Period!

(Nate) So did you adopt this view on abortion when you voted today? Does this help?

(Ian) I always get it.

(voice outside polling place)

(Lane Strahan) Lane. LANE. His last name is Strahan. STRAHAN.

(Nate) Who was the candidate you were most excited about?

(Lane) Honestly… (sighs) God, it’s neither.

(Nate) Why is this? (laughs)

(Lane) Both. Hey, you should use less of both. This was a very difficult decision, so…

(Nate) So how did you make that decision?

(Lane) (sigh) Narrowing it down to what will keep me safe as a Black woman in America? Like, what’s safe for me out there?

(Nate) Yes.

(Lane) …for someone to take my life into consideration. So I had to go with the lesser of evils. It wasn’t the top two candidates, I’m sorry. It just wasn’t.

(Nate) Who did you end up voting for?

(Lane) Oh my god. Kamala.

Ok.

Yes. Woman. I wonder if there is any way for a woman to truly make a difference. This gives me hope!

(Nate) Yes.

(Lane) So I don’t know. Let’s change the subject and see if a woman can do something. I’m not sure. (Lane sighs, Nate laughs) It’s like I’m going to hide from now on.

(Nate) (Nate, laughing) Are you going to hide? (Lane laughs) Will you be watching the election results tonight?

(Lane) No, no, no! I’m going to Bali on the 15th and will be back in January. So yeah I don’t care.

(Nate) We probably wouldn’t have decided who won the election by then. It will last forever.

(Lane) Yes, I will stay away from this fiasco and wish this country the best in love.

(music turns on and off)