Three Candidates

Kellsie Hicks
17 hours ago
1 min read

A Photo Essay

These photographs were taken during the 2024 Presidential Election. What began as a project documenting political division in Appalachia gradually revealed something more nuanced.

I set out to capture the visible divide between parties and communities during one of the most polarizing moments in American politics. But another presence kept appearing — Jesus — on signs, shirts, church marquees and banners.

In many ways, an unofficial third candidate had entered the race. These images reflect not only the political divide that inspired the project, but how faith and politics intertwine in the region, shaping the way many people understood the election — and their place within it.