Voter heading in to poll site.
ASTORIA, NY—Last night’s election brought New Yorkers out from all five boroughs to vote for three term Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s replacement. In Astoria, the voter polls at PS 166-Henry Gradstein were steadily busy according to voting officials, but with staggering numbers compared to previous years. The later crowd began to trickle in after work to get their votes in before the 9:00 PM cut off time.
According to the Associated Press, this year’s election had the lowest voter turn out at 24 percent of registered New Yorkers voting, compared to the previous low four years ago, when turnout was at 28 percent.
While the crowd was steadily comprised of a range of late 20s to long-time Astoria seniors, the consensus was mutual, whether they liked Bloomberg or not, people were ready for a change. With Bill de Blasio’s victory predictable, many voters figured their vote would not make a world of a difference.
Among the straggling crowd was voter Anthi Spanos, an opinionated native New Yorker that had experienced everything from the high crime rate of the 1980s with Mayor Koch, Rudy Giuliani’s reign during 9/11, and Mayor Bloomberg’s claim to office starting in 2001. Although she’s a democrat, Spano explains why she doesn’t want to be part of the party sheep.
Click here for Anthi Spanos‘ insight on manipulative campaigning and Bloomberg’s tactic to get on ballots in 2001.
