Phoenix’s DJ Benz will bring the party to the polling place on Election Day

Arizona’s DJ Benz says he’s excited about the opportunity to help turn Nov. 5 into a celebration, working with the nonpartisan organization DJs at the Polls to bring music and a party atmosphere to polling locations. 

“Music makes the world go ‘round,” says the veteran Phoenix music producer. “I mean, let’s be honest, if you went into a bar or any other establishment, and there was silence, no music, it’s really kind of stagnant. But if you hear your favorite tunes, it’s surprising how a human can react.”

DJ Benz has been playing music since high school, at first just for fun and now as a full-time job. Lately, he says he’s hardly had time to go to the gym, with most of his time booked playing at weddings, clubs, on the radio (check out FM 90.7) and at cannabis dispensaries. “He’s a cannabis culture icon in Phoenix,” writes the Phoenix New Times.

Mixing Music and Voting 

DJ Benz is originally from Brooklyn, having come to Phoenix after a decade in Philadelphia. He was drawn to Arizona by the year-round warm weather, outdoor festivals, the excitement of one of the fastest-growing cities in America, and “knowing that LA and Vegas are down the street.” His work with DJs at the Polls has been his most intensive involvement in politics since voting for class presidents in high school. Yet while the group is strictly non-partisan, he says it’s vital to celebrate—and support—our democracy.

“Not everybody in the world is fortunate enough to have the rights we have,” he adds. “We can’t take that for granted.”

Putting Together the Playlist 

DJ Benz says he witnessed the power of music to get people to the polls during the primary election in Phoenix last spring, when he worked with DJs at the Polls for the first time.

“They had me DJing outside the Burton Barr Library downtown. I played Fleetwood Mac and classic rock. And before you know it, I had newspapers and other media outlets surrounding me,” he recalls. “But the most important thing was that voters were having a lot more fun. They were dancing in line and dancing walking back to their cars. It was almost as if they weren’t going to vote, but then as soon as I started playing music, they came out to vote.”

For the past several weeks, many DJs in Phoenix have been gearing up for Election Day, playing at several get-out-the-vote events. 

On Nov. 5, they’ll “read the crowd” to figure out what kind of music to play, says DJ Benz. “Some will play Top 40, others will play rock, and others will play jazz. It all depends on the demographics,” he says. 

His own favorite tunes? It depends on the day, but last we checked, he was loving “Superhero.”