BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Playback58@gmail.com

WINDSOR—Along Route 258 from Windsor to the North Carolina border, the highway is dotted with signs supporting one candidate or another. In some places, clusters urge passersby to vote for Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president. In others, there’s no lack of signage for President Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

In front of her home in Windsor, Vernell Carr has been showing her support for Obama.

“I’ve always been a Democrat,” she said. “I voted for Obama in 2008 as well.”

As she sees it, the incumbent president’s health care plan — popularly known as Obamacare — is a good one.

“He’s helped people with Medicaid — I know a lot of people on Medicaid,” Carr said.

In stark contrast, Wendy and Pete Twisdale in Carrsville are backing Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan.

Wendy, who said she identifies as a conservative, believes that Romney can deliver what she called “open change.”

“We’ll get real answers,” said Wendy.

“We need somebody honest. With Obama it’ll be more of the same. I’m tired of cool.”

Further, “Romney best represents the middle, a balanced viewpoint,” she said.

Pete added, “I’m certainly not a democrat.”

Neighbors they know also post their support for the Republican. But Wendy did say she’s experienced how polarizing the election has become.

“It’s caused tension. It’s caused division,” she added.

Alonzo Jordan of Franklin, visiting people in Southampton County, said he voted for Obama four years ago, and will support him again. Those friends and their neighbors also had signs in their yards for the president and his running mate, Joe Biden.

“We’re better off staying with him,” said Jordan. “Romney’s got some good points, but I’m just not familiar with him. I’d rather stay with a sure thing.”

He feels life for him is “pretty much the same” as it was four years ago.

“It’s improved a little bit,” Jordan said, adding that his salary went up a couple of years ago when he took on additional work as a certified nurse’s aide at Courtland Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Asked whether he thinks he’s living the American dream, Jordan said, “Pretty much so.”

Linda Mitchell, who identifies herself as a “lifelong Republican,” is most concerned about the economy, jobs and “getting people off welfare. Also, we’ve got to take care of our troops,” said Mitchell, who works as a custodian for the county.

“I’m glad I have what I have. It’s not easy, but…,” she said.