Early Voters in Syracuse Wake Up Before Sunrise to Cast Their Ballot

Syracuse N.Y. (Democracy in Action) – As the sun replaced the beaver moon over Nottingham High School, some voters went out of the way to cast their ballot early.

For Neville Gruenberg of Syracuse coming early was about the stakes of this year’s election.

“I think this is the most important election I’ve ever voted in, and I’ve voted in every election since I was 18,” Neville Gruenberg said. “I think democracy is on the ballot.”

Other voters like retiree Danny Adams said he chose to vote early as a matter of convenience.

“Get out and vote before the crowds get here, you can be in and out, quiet,” Adams said.

Still for others, voting early was a sacrifice to spend a day off with family. Sam Szewczyk was excited to spend his day off with his son, who he said was on his mind as he cast his ballot.

“I do it for my son, the future for my son, that’s it.”

Gruenberg felt as if the future was riding on who took control in this election.

“I’m concerned about our country and the direction we are going. It seems like good versus evil” Gruenberg said.

Adams said he hasn’t forgotten the privilege it is to have an equal voice in democracy.

“It took so many people to die to get the right to vote,” Adams said. “Having grown up in the sixties, people got shot, killed, burned, dog set on them for the right to vote.”

Adams said that sacrifice comes with responsibility.

“So you owe it to all those people whose shoulders you stand on, to get out and vote and the other thing is that if you’re not gonna vote you cannot complain about the outcome,” Adams said.

Whether it was to beat the crowd, or preserve democracy, voters in Central New York exercised their civic right bright and early on Election Day.