The candidates and issues are weighing heavily on voters' minds, which leads to election anxiety in Metro Detroit.
However, a nationwide movement is trying to help alleviate the stress by turning up the music and turning out the vote.
Michiganders will help determine who wins the Oval Office while possibly tipping the balance of power in both chambers of Congress.
There are also proposals for local and state races. It can be overwhelming for voters.
“A lot of changes need to be made with the economy and everything else that’s going on,” said Stephanie Race. “Just had to make sure I did my part today.”
There’s also burnout.
“I’m tired of the text messages, definitely,” said Sydney Mitchell.
If you’re DJ Tee Two Times, sometimes you have to dance the stress away.
“There’s a lot at stake today,” said DJ Tee Two Times. “I think people are excited, they’re anxious like things could go either way, but regardless, I’m just happy to see people at the polls.”
DJ Tee Two Times is part of DJs at the Polls, a national push to get people to vote.
Just after 12 p.m. on Election Day, the crowd at Eriksson Elementary School liked what they heard.
“It’s not loud,” said Rasik Patel. “It should be louder.”
Dee-jays are dispatched to areas from Detroit to Canton to Novi.
The thought behind the concept is America’s democracy strengthens when more people vote.
The turntables are merely a soundtrack showcasing how voting can be exhilarating.
Dr. Arash Javanbakht, the director of Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University Department of Psychiatry, told Local 4 he’s seen an increase in election anxiety.
Javanbakht said that the concept of spinning tunes is a welcome change from the hyper-partisanship often seen during elections.
“That brings us back to what is normal,” Javanbakht said. “You’re there and listening to the music that tells you that it is not as terrifying as it’s presented to us. This is normal life – life is going on. This is something democracy to cherish, to enjoy, and to celebrate."
