What brought voters from Mass to the polls in a red bag on Election Day.

Massachusetts is often seen as an absolutely blue state.

But even in the most progressive states, you can find conservative communities. And in the Bay State, the south coast town of Acushnet is one of them.

In this predominantly white city with approximately 10,600 inhabitantsformer President Donald Trump defeated President Joe Biden 54.7% to 43.7% in the 2020 election, according to WBUR.

While interviewing voters at the polls on Tuesday, only two supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, agreed to speak to MassLive.

And one of them was visiting from nearby Westport — a city Biden narrowly won in 2020 — to campaign on behalf of a local Democrat.

The other Harris supporter was 69-year-old Acushnet resident Lynn Cruz, who said what brought her to the polls was the possibility of a Black woman becoming president.

“I think (Harris) has good policies, and I believe in her policies. I think she is for all people. She has something for everyone,” Cruz said before ending the interview and getting into her husband’s car, which had just arrived.

Why Acushnet Supports Trump

The majority of Acushnet residents interviewed by MassLive said they were excited to vote for Trump because they felt their lives had improved during his last term.

Many also said they had felt economically insecure during Biden’s term and that Harris and the rest of the Biden administration had been ineffective at best.

“To me, (Trump) proved himself when he was there four years ago,” said 43-year-old Susana Souza. “And until we see what she can do, it’s not proven to me that she can help us.”

Many said that after this latest wave of high inflation, they can no longer afford to go on vacation without opening their wallets.

“Everything is so sky high, through the roof,” said 39-year-old Richard Meack. “Gas, oil, I mean, you name it. Food…”

“Our wages have gone up, but that money is then put into things like gas, our mortgage and our taxes,” said his fiancée, 40-year-old Ashley Reynolds.

Immigration was another major concern for these voters.

Many said they believed too much tax revenue was being spent on supporting migrants and that the government should spend that money helping struggling Americans.

“I think the United States is becoming overrun with people, and we’re just having a really hard time providing housing and being able to take care of the people who are already citizens,” said 49-year-old Darlene Boutin.

Many also cited Americans’ economic hardship as the reason they resist sending aid to countries like Ukraine — something Biden has remained committed to.

“Our money should be here for us,” said 42-year-old Melissa Cabral. “America should be first, and (Trump) is all about America.”

Cabral’s pink “Women for Trump” banner stood out Tuesday among the many red, white and blue candidate signs that lined the entrance to a local elementary school.

She said she chose the sign to show her support for the former president’s position that abortion rights should be left to the states.

Some Acushnet Trump voters, like 20-year-old first-time voter Avery Achadinha, expressed concern that Harris would limit gun rights.

During Harris’ run in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, she was supported mandatory buybacks of assault weapons. She has since changed her position on the issue, but it is clear that voters have not forgotten her previous position.

‘She wants to take our guns. I’m sorry, that doesn’t happen,” said 59-year-old Mary Boulay.

The voting questions voters are most passionate about

Party politics was not a top priority for voters this year when it came to voting questions.

Many said they felt strongly about passing Question 2, which would no longer make passing the MCAS exams a requirement for graduating from high school.

These voters said they believed that standardized tests do not accurately measure how much a student has learned or how smart he/she is.

Boutin said she worries that MCAS exams force teachers to teach to the test, which takes the fun and passion out of learning.

Cabral said she believes the MCAS exams have their place, but she is not in favor of using them as a graduation requirement.

“I have six children… If they are struggling a bit and are not good test takers, I think – after 12 years in school – they still have the right to get their diploma,” she said.

Sousa, who works as an administrative assistant at a local school, said her biggest motivation for voting Tuesday was to voice her opinion on ballot questions like Question 2.

“I know how difficult it is with the students and how stressed they get when they send students to the nurse because they are so nervous. They’re throwing up,” she said. “…Children should not be put under so much stress about graduating.”

Acushnet voters also felt strongly about Question 5, which would gradually increase the minimum wage for restaurant workers to the state’s regular minimum wage.

Many feared local, beloved eateries would be forced to close if they had to pay their staff more.

Others said they supported friends and family who work in restaurants and fear losing income from tips or not being compensated if they put in more work.

These voters also did not appear to toe the party line when it comes to election integrity.

While they believe there was some election fraud in 2020, it is not clear whether it affected the outcome of the election, they said.

If Harris were declared the winner this year, they would fear for the future of their country, they said. Still, they would ultimately accept the outcome and hope for the best.

“I hope (Harris) can embody all of us as people, and that we can all work together as well. I don’t think she’s a bad person,” Boutin said. “…Would I like to see the first black female president? Yeah, that would be bad***. Do I think she’s the best candidate for that? No.”