Voters at 66 polling places in the Akron and Cleveland area will have a musical backdrop on Election Day as DJs at the Polls brings its national program to Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit will provide music at selected voting locations on Tuesday, with the aim of making a trip to the polls a positive community experience.
The nonpartisan organization concentrates on areas where voter turnout has historically been low. Its approach combines an invitation to vote with an opportunity to celebrate, using music to create a more welcoming atmosphere around polling locations. The Northeast Ohio sites are among thousands the group plans to serve during the 2026 midterm elections.
Anton Moore founded DJs at the Polls in 2009 after considering how to make voting feel less routine. He said people would typically arrive, cast a ballot and leave. Putting a DJ at a polling site offered a way to change that experience, and he recalled people approaching the location while dancing and enjoying the music.
The program began at a single polling location in Philadelphia. This year, its reach extends to 5,000 polling locations across 24 states. The organization plans to employ 2,000 DJs for the midterms, expanding the idea Moore first tried at one site into an effort operating across the country.
DJs receive training to play upbeat neighborhood favorites, although each performer chooses the set list. Songs containing explicit lyrics are prohibited. The organization also said its DJs do not support any party or candidate through their work at the polls and do not instruct voters on how to cast their ballots.
Moore said randomized controlled trials have shown that the program can significantly increase voter turnout. He also described the effect of hearing a favorite song on the way to vote, saying the presence of a DJ can improve someone's mood and change how they approach the experience.
The group is withholding its complete list of Cleveland and Akron area locations for security reasons. It did, however, identify two places where voters can expect to hear music on Election Day.
DJs will perform at the Boys and Girls Clubs on Broadway Avenue in Cleveland from 7 to 11 a.m. A later appearance is scheduled at the Cleveland Heights Community Center from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
