A crowd supporting U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama gathered last Saturday for a free family picnic on North Carolina&squo;s last day of early voting. The event, sponsored by Polk County for Obama, was open to the public and held at Stearns Park, just across from the board of elections in Columbus where early voters cast their primary ballots. In attendance were residents from across the county who enjoyed a hot dog lunch, music, and children&squo;s activities.

The&bsp; picnic featured impromptu testimonials by several local residents who stated why they support Senator Obama, and a keynote speech by four-time Emmy Award winning and Oscar nominated actress Alfre Woodard, who took the stage in support of Senator Obama&squo;s campaign.

&dquo;You are making history,&dquo; Woodard told the crowd to applause and cheers. &dquo;Right here in Columbus, right here in Polk County.&dquo;

She spoke of the &dquo;tremendous grassroots momentum&dquo; across the country and in North Carolina that has propelled Senator Obama to his current lead over rival Hillary Clinton, and encouraged the group to get out the vote over the next three days before the May 6 primary.

If you are not sure whether you are registered to vote in the November election, if you need to know where to vote, call the Polk County Board of Elections at 894-8181.

‐ article submitted