It was a quietly optimistic day in the neighborhood as residents of Greenpoint and Williamsburg headed to polling sites to vote in the primary election, which will likely determine New York City’s next mayor, local city councilmember and more. This was the first time that the city used ranked choice voting, which may lead to days or even weeks of vote counting. North Brooklynites came out in troves to cast their ballot in this primary and special election, which also included ballot space for public advocate, comptroller, borough president, and judges.
One polling site at the Polish Slavic Culture Center at 177 Kent Street saw small crowds during the early morning hours after the polls opened at 6 a.m. Emily Gosselin, a volunteer at the site, was cautiously optimistic about voter turnout and said, “We experienced a lot of activity this morning. It was great to see so many New Yorkers voting in the primary.” Around noon, there were no lines at all, but several friendly volunteers eager for a post-office hours rush come 5 p.m.
On the corner of Kent and Manhattan, volunteers encouraged pedestrians to turn down Kent Street to vote. Volunteers for Victoria Cambranes, city council candidate in District 33, mentioned the low turnout of early voters, and hoped to see an uptick today. A volunteer for Stu Sherman, also running for city council, was equally hopeful and encouraging.
Another neighborhood polling site at 86 Kent Avenue inside the building at Bushwick Inlet Park saw sporadic activity throughout the morning hours. Around 1 p.m., lines were nonexistent as a few voters trickled in and quickly cast ballots. A police officer stationed outside the site expected to see more voters during the evening hours. She recognized the importance of this primary, but was slightly discouraged, thinking that many New Yorkers may not.
In Williamsburg, the polling site at Woodworth Elementary School (205 North Fifth St.), felt the busiest. At 2 p.m., there was a buzz of excitement as volunteers helped voters waiting in short lines at each district’s table. One of the supervisors at the site, Seraina Dixon, said, “We have been very busy today. I had to call in three more volunteers to help. The morning was the busiest, and we expect after work around 5 p.m. to pick up again.”
The polls are open until 9 p.m. Find your closest polling site here.