But 74-year-old Betty Austin Ware said she’s 100 percent in favor of Obama, and African-American Jim Bention said he’ll be voting for McCain.

“John McCain is really the only one who fought for change,” he said.

Political science professor Michael Bitzer said both Charlotteans are anomalies.

“We're seeing overwhelming support -- 95 percent of black voters -- for Sen. Obama,” he said. “(Of voters) 65 and older, 55 percent support McCain.”

Bention said he’s a lifelong Republican who was honored to serve as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. He said the issues have him voting for McCain.

Austin-Ware, a Democrat, said the state of this country means she will only vote for Obama.

“He's everything we should want as representative of our country,” she said.

Bention and Austin-Ware said they’re not bucking the stereotypes, they just don’t believe the polls adequately show the big picture. Each is adamant their candidate is what’s right for America.