A local LGBTQ bar in Houston may have made history Tuesday.
Buddy’s, which describes itself as a “modern gay bar with events as diverse as Houston,” claims to be the first such establishment to become a presidential polling location.
The location is open to any registered Harris County voters, and the bar has 14 voting booths along with poll workers who speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Indonesian, according to its Facebook page.
“We’re fortunate to have this opportunity to create history in the process by being the first LGBTQ+ bar in history to be a presidential polling location,” owner Christopher Barry tells CNN. The Houston Chronicle affirmed the distinction.
“Buddy’s is proud to provide a safe space for all of our community to be heard. We hope to serve as a beacon of inclusivity and humanity where everyBuddy’s welcome.”
“We’re not a regular county, we’re a cool county,” the Harris County Clerk tweeted in response to an LGBTQ activist who posted about the location.
Barry believes that becoming a polling location was the most productive way they could help the community on election day. He said that the voter turnout has been great and the response has been “overwhelmingly supportive.”
Barry said it has been a “fantastic experience” and that they would love to continue to allow the space to be used as a future voting location.
Buddy’s will remain open until 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. ET) for voting.
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