Two Bridges Voters Weigh in on the Midterm Election

Outside the Rutgers Community Center polling station, water droplets pelted signs written in English, Spanish and Chinese which read: “VOTE HERE.” And vote they did, rain or shine. Yesterday’s drizzly November morning was no match for democracy, although it did pose a challenge for the scanners. At 200 Madison St., Two Bridges voters made pit stops to cast ballots during their early commutes.

“I think there’s going to be a high turnout,” said Jessica Delfino, 42, on her way to drop off her son at preschool before visiting the polls. She said that the amount of publicity and advertisements surrounding this year’s midterm election were sure to get peoples’ attention. Last year’s general election saw an increase in New York City voter turnout compared to previous years, with 1.15 million votes cast across the five boroughs, according to reports by the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Delfino’s prediction was right. It seems yesterday morning was the calm before the storm, as reports from later in the day showed long lines, rain-soaked ballots and scanner hijinks, with many voters capturing the chaos on social media. Lifelong New Yorker Simon Chan, 68, put it simply: “People want to make sure the Democrats win,” Chan said.

Though some voters were unphased by the Republican challenge. “Just look at the ballot,” said local resident Pat Foster, 60. “There are only two Republicans. Everything else is Democratic. It’s obvious that New York is a Democratic state.”

In fact, there were five Republican candidates on the citywide ballot, none of whom were successful[1]: Marc Molinaro and Julie Killian for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Chele Chiavacci Farley for U.S. Senate, Jonathan Trichter for State Comptroller and Keith Wofford for Attorney General. The race for governor was perhaps the most contested in this election despite recent polls, as Molinaro challenged two-term incumbent Andrew Cuomo. Meanwhile, either candidate would have made history as the first African American Attorney General for New York State, though Dem. Candidate Letitia James’ victory makes her doubly historical, as she is also the first woman elected to the position.

“At the end of the day, what matters is whether a person does their job,” said local voter Michelle Thorpe, 41. “It [James’ election] would be an awesome opportunity for equal rights.” Voter Pat Foster added, “Male, female, black, white, alien, that doesn’t matter — and shouldn’t matter if a person is good at their job.”

However, amid the debates and decisions it is easy for voters to feel lost in the crowd. 20-year-old Izzy Sparks decided not to vote. “My vote doesn’t count,” said Sparks. “There are too many Republicans. The crime rates here are too high, especially petty theft, and the money is going to the wrong places. We need to fix poverty, we need to fix jails and we need more rec. centers for kids who are going through tough times.” Sparks said that his concerns were not well represented in the election. But just as rain cleanses the earth, every election provides an opportunity for improvement.