On Thursday morning more than 100 faculty, staff, and students at North Carolina University made their way across campus chanting and sweating to proclaim the start of Early Voting in Durham.

"We remember those persons who bled and died in order for us to have this right today," said Dr. Bernice D. Johnson, the interim provost at NCCU at a rally that followed the march.

The march began at 10:45 a.m. at the Brant Street Plaza or brickyard between Ruffin Hall and Eagle Landing on campus. The crowd rallied the streets, ending up at an early voting site at the old Holy Cross Church on South Alston Avenue.

"I think it's absolutely terrific that people vote," said Durham Board of Elections Director Mike Ashe.

"Here, we have a lot of young people, a lot of first time voters that are just getting into... the process. It's just wonderful," Ashe said.

After the church rally, students went to take advantage of Durham's one stop voting.

Ashe says by 10:30 on Thursday morning, more than 1,000 people across Durham County voted an open polling location.

NCCU student Brittany Blackwell voted in her first presidential election on Thursday afternoon.

"So many people died for our right to vote, and I feel privileged and honored to go in and vote for our President of our United States," she said

Ashe says polling places will be open for 17 straight days for early voting. Some locations will be open on Saturdays and Sundays too.