The Newhouse School's Democracy in Action Program wasn't only in the Salt City for Election Day. NCC News' Joe Puccio was in Skaneateles where voters showed up in bunches.Joe Puccio

2022 Election

Skaneateles Fire Department Sees Influx of Voters

By Joe Puccio

Video

JOE PUCCIO: As the American flags wave on the northern end of Skaneateles Lake, just a few miles down the road is a site where voters made their impact. The Skaneateles Fire Department on West Genesse Street swung its doors open for the Midterm Elections. For Skaneateles resident Tom Fernandez, this was a brand new ballgame.

TOM FERNANDEZ: “It’s actually the most people I’ve seen at a polling place, even over a presidential election, that I saw this morning.”

JP: From 9 am to 11 am on Tuesday, voters were walking into the fire department every two minutes, including Skaneateles resident Amelia Napodano.

AMELIA NAPODANO: “This is the first time I voted here, but I heard people talking that it was the biggest turnout they’ve seen and they were pleased that people showed up to voice their opinions.”

JP: For Napodano, voting at the Fire Department was a breath of fresh air.

AN: “Well the past few years have been remote or we had absentee ballots so it’s hard to say. And I lived in a city then so, it was just a different environment. But, it was nice to see people come out again.”

JP: Fernandez and Napodano each cited similar political issues that brought them to the polls.

TF: “Environment, women’s rights and some local government issues that I think we need to deal with.”

AN: “Women’s rights is a huge issue right now that everyone is making a big deal about so I felt like I should weigh in. It’s democracy.”

JP: Polls close at 10 pm tonight at the Skaneateles Fire Department. The country court judge race is one that voters are keying in on. Jeffery Schiano and Ted Limpert are going at it this evening. Reporting in Skaneateles, Joe Puccio, N-C-C News.

SKANEATELES, N.Y. (NCC News) – Skaneateles Lake is home to gorgeous views in the fall. Most of the residents were outside on Election Day until they filed their way into the Skaneateles Fire Department. One of the three polling places in the town of Skaneateles, the volunteer Fire Department welcomed voters all throughout the morning. For Skaneateles resident Tom Fernandez, this was something the experienced voter hadn’t seen before.

“It’s actually the most people I’ve seen at a polling place,” Fernandez said, “Even over a presidential election, that I saw this morning.”

Tom Fernandez has been voting for the last 22 years. Another Skaneateles voter, Amelia Napadano, is getting acclimated to what it’s like to vote in person.

“Well, the past few years have been remote or we had absentee ballots,” said Napadano. “And I lived in a city then so, it was just a different environment. But it was nice to see people come out again.”

Both Napadano and Fernandez shared similar reasons as to why they came out to the polls.

“Environment [policies], women’s rights and some local government issues that I think we need to deal with and help grow Central New York as a whole,” said Fernandez.

“Women’s rights is a huge issue right now that everyone is making a big deal about so I felt like I should weigh in,” said Napadano. “It’s democracy.”

The first set of polls in New York State close at 9 p.m. All polls close at 10 p.m.

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