BELLE GLADE — Albert V. Polk IV, known on the Muck as “DJ Church Boy,” and his wife, Alexis, along with photographer Kevin Brown shot Facebook Live video to document the “Muck City Convoy to the Polls” on Sunday afternoon following morning services.

In a planned parade and accompanying marches from each of the Tri-Cities, participants were encouraged to line up at the designated location for their city on Oct. 25. At 2 p.m. sharp, the convoys headed toward the main early voting site in the Glades, which is the Belle Glade Library.

Polk, Brown and ministers, pastors and many members from several churches around the Glades Region brought large numbers of voters, between 700 and 1,000, Polk estimated. There were no gatherings along the way, and everyone was asked to observe safe distances and wear masks.

Once the convoy reached the library, those needing to vote were directed to pull into the parking lot. And then vote. If people already voted and were only participating in the convoy, they were directed to exit the polling site upon arrival, and only voters were to get out of their vehicles, Polk said.

Parishes participating were: Pahokee Deliverance Christian Center, 168 E. Fourth St.; St. John First Missionary Baptist Church, 600 S.W. Eighth St., Belle Glade; and Leviticus Temple of Praise COGIC, 175 U.S. 27, South Bay.

Narrated Polk as the parade and marchers began arriving:
“What’s up, everybody? Come here, baby girl! Look, we’re ready,” he says to the Facebook Live audience. “It’s the 2020 General Election Muck City Convoy to the Polls, and this right here is going to be your camera girl for the day!”

Later as the convoy begins entering, he says, “So we’re going to get ready as we’re here at the Belle Glade Library, and as you can see there’s going to be a huge event out here today!

“When we sat down with the city, told the City of Belle Glade, ‘Look, you need to do this for the community’ — the mayor, everybody was on board; the City of South Bay got right on board; Mayor Keith Babb in Pahokee; and Mayor Joe Kyles in South Bay; and we want to thank all the organizations that helped us here.

“Get ready for the stroll to the polls!” And then the marchers came in, led in by a group of marching young ladies and men of the Butts Memorial Chapel with Ricky S. Butts pastoring. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office had officers posted at each intersection that we had to cross, and made sure we could cross safely,” Polk went on.

The marchers were wearing matching T-shirts advertising the “Stroll to the Polls.” Polk also thanked the local machinists union and Florida Crystals for putting the tractors in the parade, plus the deputies who acted as police escorts from PBSO.

The event drew hundreds despite somewhat threatening skies, and rains mercifully held off until later in the afternoon.