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Brooklyn Voters Are Eager to Cast their Ballots in the 2020 Election

Throwing President Trump out of office appears to be driving many Brooklyn voters to the polls
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Judging by the impressive early turnout data, voter enthusiasm in Brooklyn is sky-high. Brooklynites want to have their say in what many are calling the most important election in generations.

By Monday night, the New York City  Board of elections recorded a three-day total of 314,723 people casting ballots across the city. Brooklyn voters outpaced the other boroughs, logging 101,283 ballots compared to Manhattan, which had the second highest total of 69,805.

Early voting station Starrett City, Brooklyn
An early voting station on Monday in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Photo: Nigel Roberts

Jean Pierre—Charles, a retired Spring Creek resident, told BK Reader he didn't want to wait until Election Day, so he voted on Saturday.

"I've lived in this country for over 40 years, and I can't believe that politics in America has come this," the Democrat who immigrated from Haiti said. "I think Biden will be better than Trump. Trump is turning this country upside down."

In one of America's bluest cities, it's no surprise most people said they want Donald Trump to be a one-term president.

"I disagree with how President Trump has handled the pandemic. He's making it worse for everyone," Adriana Hernandez, a lifelong Brooklyn resident who was laid off from her restaurant job at the end of April, said.

Hernandez added she planned to vote before Election Day, but thought the lines were too long on the first weekend of early voting.

"I think Trump is a disgusting person. He has no respect for anyone. He has to go," said Jenny, who declined to share her last name. The Canarsie resident stated she didn't vote four years ago, but planned to cast a ballot in the current election.

Scores of people opted to vote by absentee ballot this year, many out of concern for contracting COVID-19. However, absentee balloting got off to a disastrous start with a printing error that mislabeled the names and addresses on more than a thousand absentee voting packages sent to Brooklyn voters.

Rose Jefferson, a health care worker living in Canarsie, said she voted by absentee ballot for the first time. She recalled hearing on the news there were problems with absentee ballots, but that didn't happen to her.

"I voted for Democrats all the way down the line, even if I didn't know the judges on the ballot," Jefferson said.

Not everyone across the borough was eager to vote.

Standing at a Flatlands Avenue bus stop, Larry Robinson said he won't vote this year because it's a waste of time.

"Who am I voting for?" he asked rhetorically. "It doesn't matter who wins. People are still going to be struggling. The whole system is corrupt. All those politicians are just getting richer. What are they doing for these homeless people? Nothing."



About the Author: Nigel Roberts

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