Local DJs will provide the soundtrack at Arizona polls Nov. 5

Who knew democracy could be this much fun?

At polling sites in cities throughout Arizona on Election Day, Nov. 5, voters may find themselves dancing in line, with local DJs providing the beat.

DJs at the Polls, a national, non-partisan get-out-the-vote group, promises to keep the day upbeat and harmonious, providing 3,500 DJs to play family friendly music at more than 7,000 polling sites in battleground states, including up to 60 polling sites in Arizona.

“We’re all over the state, in Phoenix, Yuma, Tucson, and Flagstaff,” says DJ Benz, who has been recruiting DJs for the past several weeks, and plans to work two sets as well. He added: “We’re looking forward to making every polling place into a party.”

The work has two goals: Get out the vote, and celebrate America’s free and fair elections.

“It’s different and exciting,” says community activist Anton Moore, who launched DJs at the Polls in Philadelphia in 2008. In past elections, he says, he’s even seen “a soul train line. I’ve seen what they call the Cupid Shuffle, the electric slide, and line dancing…. People are just excited, so come on and lift your spirit up and keep pushing and keep going. This election really matters.”

Don’t miss the music and your chance to vote

DJs at the Polls is now running social media campaigns, texting voters, providing updates on Instagram, and sending out postcards so people know that a DJ will be at their voting site.

Arizona’s DJ Benz is one of thousands of DJs across the country on a mission to make voting a celebration.

Celebrate Your Civic Duty

From its humble roots at its first Philadelphia location, DJs at the Polls has exploded in growth. This year, it expanded nationally, and could reach as many as 10 million registered voters in the battleground states of Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas. 

“Before it was like, you hand out a pamphlet on election day and say, ‘Hey, vote!’” says Moore, 38, who also heads Unity in the Community, an organization working to prevent gun violence. “I wanted to bring more excitement and fun.”

Roughly one-third of eligible voters didn’t cast ballots in 2020, with many feeling as if their votes didn’t matter or that voting was too much of a chore. DJs at the Polls is focusing on them, particularly in densely populated urban areas with large numbers of underrepresented voters—and studies show the strategy works. 

This year, thousands of DJs signed up for a chance to earn as much as $500 per set, with two shifts a day, by helping people get excited about doing their civic duty. 

In compliance with local election guidelines, the nonprofit’s DJs will set up at the permissible distance from the polling place entrance, and follow all local regulations. 

And they’ll be sure to be heard—as will the voices of people they encourage to come out and vote.

For more information:

• Voting in Arizona has already begun! To find out more, including how to register even at this late date, go to https://www.arizona.vote/
• Follow DJs at the Polls on Instagram for general information. In Arizona, DJ Benz promises to update his Instagram feed to help voters find out which DJ will play at their polling places, while individual DJs will also be posting their whereabouts. 
• Verify your voter registration status and learn more about DJs at the Polls on the DJs at the Polls’ website.
• For media inquiries, contact Nancy Friedman at 917-309-9343 or via email at [email protected].