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Politics & Government

New Hyde Park Residents Vote Around Town

People are already hitting the polling sites in town.

The polling centers around New Hyde Park have been open since 6 a.m., and despite a slow morning, many voters have accumulated. At , 101 residents have voted on the new electronic voting system, set up in the front lobby since noon.

Cathy Guida, chairperson at Manor Oaks, said the new voting system is much like using a scantron for school tests and while the process is much faster, residents still need help understanding how the process works.

“In my opinion the machines work very well,” Guida said. “But [the people] still need guidance because they are not used to it. We have to be very hands-on.”

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Regardless of that, Manor Oaks has been assisting a good amount of voters since opening early this morning.

“This isn’t a presidential election, so people aren’t banging down the doors, but we are seeing a regular turn out,” Guida said.

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Over at the , four tables were set up to service more voters faster. As of around 12:45 p.m., table 16 had 61 voters and the workers said it has been about half Democrats and half Republicans, table 89 had 34 voters and table 87 had 58 voters.

New Hyde Park resident Sara Quintero said the most important issue to her and her husband Leo is taxes.

“Taxes are very important to us considering that [our kids are out of the house] and we still pay high taxes,” Sara Quintero said.

Leo added, “Mostly taxes are important, but also that any official that is elected keep the people in mind because people gripe and moan, but you have to admit you do get a lot of services for what you’re paying. Living in New Hyde Park, I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

From working at the polling center, Sarah Quintero noticed that not many young adults come to vote and that is a problem.

“I think it’s just important for people to come out and vote so they can be spoken for,” she said. “A lot of people don’t come out; only the older people come out and the young people stay home…The major thing is just being lazy and they don’t care.”

Over at , voting is being held in the Epiphany Room with three separate tables.

As of about 12:30 p.m., table one received 49 voters, table two received 34 voters and table three received 84 voters.

Bob Pustarfi, who already voted, said our country is missing leadership.  

“Right now we’re going down the tubes with either party because there is no leadership on both [sides] and if we have more leadership I think this country will run better,” Pustarfi said.

Pustarfi also said it is a person’s civic duty to vote and everyone should come out and do so.

“Vote for the person not for the party,” he said. “That’s what I do, I vote for the person.”

All polling centers in New Hyde Park will be open until 9:00 p.m.

“If you are going to moan and groan, you have to be heard, and the way to be heard is to vote,” Leo Quintero said.  

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