Views from voters at Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club

Rows of signs announcing various candidates in Tuesday's election surrounded the entrance of the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club.

Some people, like Republican 6th Congressional District candidate Dan Cox, stood in the rain to wave and speak with voters.

John Stipicevic braved the rain to vote because it's "monumentally important" to do so, he said.

The Frederick County Board of Education race was the most important for him, he said. His partner is a teacher with Frederick County Public Schools.

He's worried about people telling teachers what to teach, and books removed from schools, he said. But he's also worried about more national issues, like women's rights, abortion, consumer's rights and environmental protection.

He didn't want to share who he voted for, but he said he voted Democratic all the way down the ticket.

Patrick Morgan and Marianne Morgan also emphasized the importance of voting in the Board of Education race. Patrick Morgan said he's a teacher in FCPS. Marianne Morgan said she works in FCPS' central office.

They voted for the candidates on the "apple ballot," endorsed by unions representing Frederick County Public Schools employees — Josh Bokee, Janie Monier, and Chad King Wilson Sr. — because they felt they would support students and bring equity.

"We voted for candidates that will work together to find a middle ground," Marianne Morgan said.

Angie Packan and her son, Chaz Packan, voted because they felt that the country was moving in the wrong direction.

"We support our country and want to see change right now. Things aren't in the right state for our country,"Angie Packan said.

Chaz Packan said they were voting based on issues like inflation, rising costs and border safety, but also because it was their right and the best way to make their votes heard.

"We support former President Trump for office for those reasons because of his track record with the strong economy when he was in office. We just want to return to that kind of America where everyone is thriving and being successful," he said.

They also voted for Cox for the 6th District Congressional seat and all conservative candidates for the Board of Education.

Dan Cox Campaigning

Dan Cox (center left,) who is seeking the Republican nomination for the 6th Congressional District gestures to voters as they arrive at the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club polling site Tuesday morning.

David Mejias said he doesn't have a party affiliation, so the only race he voted for on Tuesday was Board of Education. He doesn't have kids, but he said he was voting in support of his neighbors, who do.

Teachers need more support and better pay, he said. Classrooms were getting too crowded, he said, and important extracurricular activities could be on the chopping block.

Mejias said he didn't want to share who he voted for, but he emphasized the importance of people making their voices heard with the right to vote. It's an important right, he said, one he entered the Navy to protect. He's since retired.

"If we don't have a voice in our government, then we don't have a government. The government can do as it pleases, when it pleases, to whoever it pleases," he said.