IRL ASKING Critical Voters in North Carolina Who They Are Voting For

Veteran investigative journalist and citizen reporter Nick Shirley took to the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina, on October 22, 2024, to ask everyday voters a simple but critically important question ahead of the 2024 presidential election: who are they voting for? The resulting street interview video, which has since garnered over 102,000 views, reportedly captures a candid and unfiltered cross-section of voter sentiment in one of the most closely watched battleground states in the country.

According to Shirley, the video was filmed as a real-time, in-person (IRL) street interview segment — a format that has become a hallmark of his reporting style and a key reason his channel has amassed 1.7 million YouTube subscribers. Rather than relying on polling data or filtered media narratives, Shirley reportedly went directly to the source, engaging what the video’s title describes as ‘critical voters’ — individuals whose decisions at the ballot box could reportedly help determine the outcome of the 2024 presidential race.

North Carolina has long been considered a pivotal state in presidential elections, and Shirley’s decision to conduct these interviews in Raleigh — the state capital and one of its most populous and politically diverse cities — appears to be a deliberate effort to capture a wide range of voter perspectives. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, a region known for its mix of long-time residents, college-educated professionals, and a rapidly growing population that has shifted the state’s political dynamics in recent election cycles.

Shirley’s approach, as reflected in the video’s title and description, focuses on giving ordinary citizens a direct platform to express their electoral preferences without the filter of traditional media editorializing. This style of grassroots journalism has resonated strongly with his audience, with the video accumulating over 102,000 views since its publication — a testament to the widespread public appetite for unmediated voter voices heading into a consequential national election.

The framing of the video around ‘critical voters’ is particularly noteworthy. According to the video’s description, these are not randomly selected passersby but rather individuals whose views and voting intentions reportedly carry significant weight in the context of the broader 2024 presidential contest. North Carolina has historically been a state where margins of victory are razor-thin, and the voices captured by Shirley in this footage allegedly reflect the kind of nuanced, on-the-ground voter sentiment that traditional polling often fails to fully capture.

Shirley’s street interview methodology — going IRL, or ‘in real life,’ as the title explicitly states — is consistent with his broader journalistic mission of transparency and direct citizen engagement. Rather than working through intermediaries or relying solely on official statements, Shirley reportedly places himself physically in the communities he covers, asking the questions that his audience most wants answered.

With the 2024 presidential election described as one of the most consequential in recent memory, videos like this one reportedly serve an important public interest function — giving voters a chance to hear directly from their peers in key battleground locations. For viewers in North Carolina and beyond, Shirley’s Raleigh street interviews allegedly offer a ground-level view of where critical voters stand as Election Day approaches.

This video is part of Shirley’s ongoing series of real-world, boots-on-the-ground reporting that has defined his presence as one of the most-watched citizen journalists in the United States. With over 102,000 views and counting, the response from the public suggests that this type of direct, unfiltered voter engagement content continues to fill an important gap in the current media landscape.

In Nick Shirley’s Words

“Nick Shirley reportedly took his cameras directly to the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina, to ask critical voters about their 2024 presidential election preferences in real time. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley

“According to Shirley, the video captures unfiltered, in-person responses from voters in one of the most closely watched battleground states heading into the 2024 presidential election. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley

“Shirley’s street interview format, conducted IRL in Raleigh, North Carolina, reportedly attracted over 102,000 views as audiences sought direct, unmediated voter perspectives ahead of Election Day. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley