Just three blocks from the illuminated Wisconsin State Capitol, DJs at the Polls celebrated Dane County voters outside the Madison Senior Center.
DJs at the Polls is a Philadelphia-based nonpartisan nonprofit organization founded in 2008. With more than 4,000 DJs and an estimated 8,500 polling sites this election, the organization hires DJs across the country to help boost morale on Election Day.
Andrew Lauric, known professionally as Andrew Optimist, spent the morning in Sun Prairie, then moved to different polling areas across Madison, mixing music until polling ended at 8 p.m.
As a Milwaukee-based DJ, Lauric felt surprised after being assigned to Madison for the day, but he was still excited to bring some fun to the voting process.
“Loving the energy as everyone grooves and casts their ballots,” Lauric wrote in an Instagram post today.
Although the rain brought less dancing than Lauric hoped, DJs at the Polls tried to encourage voting to feel like a community celebration instead of a chore.
“A lot of people are glad to have some music at the polls,” Lauric said.
About 90 minutes before the polls closed, voters were quickly leaving polling stations to avoid the drizzle after casting their ballots, and Lauric continued blasting music from his portable DJ booth.
As he shared on his Instagram, “Who says you can’t mix democracy with a good time?”
