Early voting kicked off in Pima County Wednesday, and thousands of community members marked the occasion by rallying with their vice presidential candidate of choice.

Republican candidate JD Vance spoke to a crowd of several hundred at the Tucson Speedway at noon, with a handful of attendees needing medical attention amidst the unseasonably high temperatures. As the group awaited his arrival, “Macho Man” by Village People played loudly throughout the venue and American flags waved in the air. 

Over the sea of enthusiastic cheers and music, Vance began speaking about inflation, housing affordability and border security. 

“You know what President Trump’s message is to illegal aliens who are in this country?” he asked. “Pack your bags, because in four months you’re going home.”

He then went on to cite unauthorized immigrants as one of the largest drives to housing costs in America, before promising his and Trump’s plan to make sure of “American homes for American people.”

"When you let in 25 million illegal aliens, and you give them homes at taxpayer expense,” he said, addressing the Biden-Harris border policy, “you make the American dream of home ownership unaffordable for the American people.”

At one point, Vance addressed the audience directly and encouraged them to “vote 10 times” – asking them to show up to the polls with nine friends ready to check the ballot for Trump. 

But housing costs aren’t the only issues the Trump ticket and its supporters are linking to immigration. Jorge Rivas, a dedicated supporter of Trump and Vance and the owner of Sammy’s Mexican Grill in north Tucson, voiced his frustration with the current immigration policies.

He specifically criticized Kamala Harris and the Biden-Harris administration’s approach, asserting that the lack of a structured immigration policy allows unchecked entry into the country. 

“They just let people in,” Rivas stated. “They come in and get free housing, free food —- everything. It feels unfair to hardworking people just like us. We pay our taxes and it seems like the government is just giving our money away.” 

Economic concerns also dominated the conversation among attendees at the rally. Rivas expressed his worries about rising prices affecting his small business. Debbie Lambert echoed this sentiment, recalling better times under Trump.

“There was a better economy, better unemployment, better everything. When Biden was in, people had to have two or three jobs just to make rent,” she said. “That’s not fair.” 

Rivas elaborated on the impact of rising costs, saying that, “Once Biden took over, the prices of carne asada, bacon, tortillas, cleaning supplies — everything went up. That means people will buy less and if people buy less, we make less money.”

As the rally progressed, these sentiments resonated through the crowd, highlighting a shared desire for change. Attendees cheered in agreement, eager to voice their support as they prepare to cast their ballot

Several hours later and across town, Democratic Vice Presidential pick Tim Walz attended a rally of his own at Palo Verde Magnet High School, following a full day of meetings with government officials and tribal leaders in Phoenix.

Early attendees were treated to performances by a mariachi group and folklórico dancers, with supporters sitting elbow to elbow on the packed gymnasium bleachers and rocking back and forth in time with the music. 

A few hours before Walz was scheduled to take the stage, the fire marshal halted entry to the gym, with about 200 people still waiting to get inside.The Harriz/Walz campaign reported that 1,500 people were in attendance between the gym and overflow area.

Teacher Michelle Davis told Tucson Spotlight about her deep concerns about the upcoming election. 

“I’m a first grade teacher. Project 2025 petrifies me,” she said, her voice filled with urgency. “My job could be on the line, like all of education. I just think this is the most critical election of our lifetime”

Davis’s fears were echoed by various speakers who expressed anxiety over issues like abortion rights and the direction of the country. Another attendee, Angela Rios, noted that many families in Tucson are struggling, especially low-income families.

“It’s important that our educators, which I’m very passionate about, are able to get the support that they need in our classrooms,” Rios said. 

Tucsonan Patrick Robles, Southern Arizona lead for the Harris/Walz campaign, took on an early role of hype man, getting the crowd on its feet and dancing to a Beyonce song while they waited for the event to begin. Later, dozens of rally goers made their way to the gymnasium floor to join Robles as he danced to the “Cupid Shuffle” before kicking off the event.

“November 5 is election day, that’s what everyone says,” he said. “But let me tell you, election day is today.”

Robles encouraged the crowd to vote early so that volunteers can focus their attention and resources on those who haven’t, before welcoming Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly onto the stage.

Cázares-Kelly talked about her experience meeting with Walz at the Democratic National Convention, saying that he understood tribal leaders’ concerns and that she was brought to tears.

“Voting is the least you can do,” she told the crowd. “So many people have fought for the right to vote, have died for the right to vote.”

After a handful of other speakers, including Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, actor Jaime Camil and local businessman Raul Aguirre, Walz made his way onto the stage and was greeted witha standing ovation. He talked about Hurricane Milton touching down in Florida, saying the federal government is ready to help deal with the aftermath.

“I believe and I think you believe, a president’s words matter. Character and leadership matter,” he said. “This idea of ‘Make America Great Again?’ We’ve always been a great country.”

Harris can offer the country a new way forward, Walz said, adding that from the time he was elected vice president, her only client and her sole focus has been the American people.

Walz talked about Harris’ hopes to expand Medicaid to cover hearing aids and other assistive devices, and her desire to provide a $50,000 tax credit to people who start a small business.

She’s also planning to enact an earned pathway to citizenship for people who have lived in the United States for years, with Walz saying the issue shouldn’t divide us, but rather unite us. He urged attendees to reach out to friends and acquaintances and encourage the people in their lives to vote.

“We can’t afford four more years of Donald Trump. You waited in line, you came here, it’s pretty obvious you get most of this,” he said. “I understand I’m preaching to the choir, but our recital is 27 days away and we have to sing.”

This story was reported by Isabela Gamez, Oliva Krupp and Caitlin Schmidt.