-US Presidential election begins
-Trump casts ballot, hails in-person voting amid pandemic
Foreign Desk Report
NEW YORK: Early Saturday morning, impassioned but mask-wearing New Yorkers started to move on towards polling stations, waiting for their turns in long queues to vote as the New York State kicked off its first ever in-person early voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic for the presidential elections.
Obviously, a higher voter turnout and limited number of polling stations resulted in the impressive queues of voters, according to local reports. Besides, the New York voters will also choose who will represent the state to take 27 Congressional seats in the House as there is no election for senators and governor this year here.
Voters at Madison Square Garden and Lincoln Center in New York City have formed long lines at poll stations before the start of voting at 10 a.m. local time (1500 GMT), with some people bringing foldable chairs and books. Voters’ lines extended over 500 meters around Madison Square Garden and over 300 meters around Lincoln Center. Mitchell Talisman, a computer software engineer from New York City, said he was “so fortunate” to be the first one to cast the ballot at the early voting poll site located in David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, where the first voters arrived as early as 7 a.m. (1200 GMT).
The 63-year-old frequent voter said the idea of early voting is “very smart,” which will make more people willing to vote and help avoid crowds on the election day. “The less time you spend in crowds, the better these days” due to the COVID situation, said Talisman, adding he was in line at six in the morning to vote in person during the 2016 presidential elections, which took about three or four hours for him to finish the process.
“It’s important for everybody to show their support for America and our god-given right to vote and to let our voices be heard,” said Franc Lowe, a frontline physician in combating the pandemic. “I want to make sure my voice and vote counts,” said a man, called Alan, who was reading a book while waiting for his turn to vote. Alan voiced his concern over the suppression of voters and court rulings on final election results. “I don’t understand how people at this particular stage or a little over a week away (from the general elections) could possibly be undecided. I cannot fathom what the conflict is. I really don’t understand it,” he said.
