Voters at thousands of polling places across the country may hear music on Tuesday, thanks in part to two East Bay women, Berkeleyside reported.
DJs at the Polls, a nonpartisan get-out-the-vote program, plans to send about 2,000 local DJs to 4,500 polling sites in 24 states on Nov. 3. Anton Moore founded it in South Philadelphia in 2009. In California this year, DJs will play at some vote centers and ballot drop boxes in competitive House districts, including in Merced and Bakersfield.
The East Bay connection
Julia Chang Frank of Albany partnered with Moore in 2022 to test whether the program raises turnout. In that randomized trial, sites with DJs saw turnout among voters of color rise by as much as 3%, Berkeleyside reported. Chang Frank became co-director and helped expand the program nationwide. In 2024 it hired more than 3,000 DJs for nearly 6,000 polling sites in 11 states, according to the program.
CloudBase Services, a software firm at Shattuck Avenue and Rose Street in Berkeley led by CEO Debbie Taylor, built the apps the program uses. They recruit DJs, match them to polling places near their homes, handle contracts, ship generators and gear, track check-ins on Election Day and pay the DJs afterward.
The rules
DJs never mention candidates, parties or ballot measures, wear no campaign gear and play family-friendly music. East Bay DJ Trecee Artis, who played near ballot boxes at a Berkeley library during last year’s special election, said voters were “engaging with the experience.”
For where to vote in your county, see our Election Day guide.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.