People flocked to the polls to decide who will become the 44th president of the United States. In the New River Valley many are going to their local recreation centers, churches, and schools. And Radford is no different, the Radford Recreation Center is hosting the polls this year from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Recreation Center has had a constant flow of eager voters today, from not only the city of Radford but also from the University, casting their votes for the various candidates on the ballot this year, such as Libertarians Bob Barr and Wayne Ayyn Root, Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Constitution Party candidates Chuck Baldwin and Darrel Castle, Green Party candidates Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente, Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin and lastly Independents Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez.

Many of the voters that were vocal about their decision came to the Recreation Center to vote for Barack Obama. “I voted for Barack Obama because it’s about time we don’t have a Republican in office,” said Radford resident Heather Bales. “If McCain was to take office as another Republican, arts and music in schools would be fazed out.”

“I grew up a Democrat and that is what I believe we need in the White House,” said Radford University student Chris Ellinghouse. “Obama is the change we need.”

And other supporters of Obama felt that this is a historical election and that influenced their decision toward the Democrat, “Obama is what our country needs, said RU student Michael Surgy. “This is a historic election and without him there will be many more deaths in Iraq. Our economy will not recover as rapidly if McCain is elected and that is why my vote went towards Obama.”

“We need change and Obama is it, said Radford resident and RU student Maggie Gordon. “This is a historical election, not only because of the candidates that are running but also because of what kind of shape our country’s in. So because Obama’s not a normal politician that we’ve seen in the White house I voted for him.”

Other voters that came to the Recreation Center came out to cast their ballot for John McCain. “He’s a Navy boy, he’s not radical more in the middle, which is what I like to see,” said Radford resident Paul Freeman. “And that’s why I voted for my boy John McCain.”

“He’s a veteran of not only the armed forces but also our own government, I know what he’s done and I know what he will do unlike Obama,” said Radford resident Theodore Williams. “And for real change we need someone who’s seen change and know what works and what doesn’t and McCain knows so I voted for McCain for that reason.”

As of 3:30 p.m., more than 1,400 people had voted at the Radford Rec Center. Poll workers scrambled to get a bite to eat as the crowd had finally died down enough for a couple of workers to take a break. Officials said the line to vote had been out the door most of the day, sometimes stretching down the hill that the Rec Center sits upon.

Brittney Rader is a media studies student at Radford University.