VivirLatino

NYC: Vistas from Polling Places

14:00 H | Topics: New York City - Politics

With a Latino running for office today in the NYC Mayoral election I expected to see more um, Latinos at the polls. Not that I want every Latino to vote for Ferrer. I think I've made that point clear but it's not as if the mayoral race is the only issue to vote on today. Mind you I don't live in a 'hood with a huge Latino population but I was still surprised when I went to vote at 10 a.m. to see the polling place relatively empty with only one other Latino face in sight. Maybe we all voted on our way to work this morning?

Reports from polling sites in Latino 'hoods like Bushwick and Williamsburg in Brooklyn point to low turnout. When I asked people working the Brooklyn locations why, they stated that the voting booths were packed on primary day and that many locals felt that the primaries were more important than the actual Election Day race. Workers also revealed that there is sometimes confusion within the community. According to an anonymous City Council campaign worker in Bushwick, "Many people think that since they voted on primary day, that they don't have to vote today." There may also be the sense that since poll numbers predict such a wide gap between Republican Mayor Bloomberg and Fernando Ferrer that there is no use in voting.

With the polls open till 9 pm here in NYC, there still is time for people to exercise their right to vote. Remember that there are a number of city and state propositions on the ballot, including a transportation proposal that would fund the long overdue Second Avenue Subway line.

Still not sure what lever to pull?
Check out the Gotham Gazette's handy Last Minute Election Guide.

Don't like any of the names next to the levers?
The Daily Gotham reminds us of write-in campaigns

Related

• Romney's Out of the Race, Should Dems Tremble? (Thursday, Feb 07 2008)
• Super Tuesday: California Voters Faced with Problems (Tuesday, Feb 05 2008)