Harris-Walz supporters took to the streets in Gary Saturday morning to lead people to voting booths.

Around 20 vehicles decorated with signs converged on the parking lot adjacent to the Harris-Walz campaign parking lot on Broadway, then slowly made their way to the Gary Public Library on 4th Avenue and Adams, honking and waving to passersby while supporting Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris in her run for the presidency and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in his bid for vice president.

Saturday was the first of two Saturdays that voters will be allowed to vote on the weekend, and the Dems weren’t going to waste their shot, said caravan organizer Tracie Martin.

“Our goal is to get as many people as we can to vote early,” said Martin, of Munster. “It’s great that many people are taking advantage of early voting, but for everyone who loves freedom and wants democracy to continue, we’re not going back, and Kamala’s here.

“Besides, the weather’s always hit-or-miss on Election Day, and who wants to risk standing in potential rain and cold?”

Having Indiana’s only Harris-Walz campaign office has been amazing for Gary and the region, State Sen. Lonnie Randolph said as he and others waved at travelers heading up 4th Avenue. People from all over the state have come through wanting to lend a hand, he said.“The energy is amazing. We have people calling from Ft. Wayne and all over; every day, someone new comes through that door,” he said. “When you look at the maps, Indiana is a lot more purple than you think, and it shows that people desperately want change.”

The office has conducted voter registration drives too, with absolutely no issues.

“Everyone we’ve registered has had zero evidence of fraud,” she said.

Renaye Manley, of Hobart, brought her grandson Noah Manley to help with the caravan. She’s terrified of another four years of former President Donald Trump, Harris’ Republican opponent on the ballot.

“The man is talking about going after his enemies. It’s scary,” she said. “We can disagree, but the fundamentals of democracy still hold, and using your position to retaliate against your enemies isn’t right.”

“I’m out here because Donald Trump is an orange, and he’ll take away reproductive rights and voting rights,” added Noah, 10. “We’re supposed to be a free country.”

Tierra Jackson, of Hammond, said this election hits differently for her.

“I care about the future of the community and the state of our nation, and typically, I support the party,” she said. “But I’m proud to see a Black woman running for president.”

Inside the library, Linda Peterson cast her early vote. She usually votes early when she can swing it between her duties on the Lake County Traveling Voter Board, and she does it for her son, who made getting people to understand the importance of voting his life’s mission.

“My son, Jason Delmar Hayes, was the VP of the state NAACP’s youth council, and in 2008, he was asked by Barbara Boling to give testimony,” Peterson said. “He was 25, and he had sickle cell anemia, kidney failure and eventually a stroke, so he was always in the hospital, but they asked him to please do this one last thing, so he testified before the Indiana Supreme Court about the importance of voting.”

His testimony was, quite literally, one of the last things he ever did: He spoke in early October and died Oct. 18, 2008, she said.

“He considered himself an ‘Ambassador of Hope,’ and that’s what he was,” Peterson, donning a “Voting is my Black job” T-shirt, said. “But he thought he had no purpose, yet when I see all the people in these lines, I know his life wasn’t in vain. I press the button for Jason, because as he said, God can still use you no matter what state you’re in, and we can’t do it without you.”

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.