Eastern Suburbs

Voters Turned Away at Dewitt Town Hall

By Jack Wells

Video

Wells: AS OF THIS MORNING A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE DEWITT TOWN CENTER HAE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COUNT THEIR BALLOTS. EARLY VOTING ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO GO TO ANY LOCATION, BUT TODAY VOTERS MUST SHOW UP TO THEIR DESIGNATEED POLLING SITE–  WHICH IS LEAVING MANY FRUSTRATED.

Allen: So now I have to go over to Lodi Street– which is discouraging, but I’m still gonna go vote because I believe in Voting. I also have my grandchild and cousin and would like them to know voting is very important.

Wells: DEWITT TOWN CENTER POLL SITE MANAGER TIM BHIA SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THAT PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER LOCATION TO DO SO.

Bhia: I don’t think it has really deterred anyone from actually voting. I don’t think there has been anyone that has showed up that had to go to another location that didn’t seem like there were gonna make the effort to go vote today.

Wells: FOUR TIMES AS MANY VOTED EARLY THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST — RESULTING IN A RELATIVELY CALM DAY. TOWN OF DEWITT WATER DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR JOHN MONAHAN WHO WORKS AT THE TOWN HALL SAYS HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EARLY VOTING

Monahan: I literally walked downstairs gave them my name cast my ballot and i was right back up at my desk in 45 seconds. It was a topic of discussion upstairs we could just not believe how many people came in for early voting, and now today is the actual voting day and there are not too many people here.

Wells: POLLS CLOSE THIS EVENING AT 9PM. HOPEFULLY THOSE WHO WEERE TURNED AWAY STILL CAST THEIR BALLOT AND MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD. FOR DEMOCRACY IN ACTION IM JACK WELLS REPORTING IN EAST SYRACUSE AT THE DEWITT TOWN CENTER.

 

Dewitt Town Hall

Voters pull into the Dewitt Town Hall.

DEWITT, N.Y. (DIA)– As of this morning a third of the people who came to the Dewitt Town Center has not been able to cast their ballots. Early voting allows residents to go to any location, but today voters must show up to their designated polling site– which is leaving many frustrated.

“So now I have to go over to Lodi street–which is discouraging, but I’m still gonna go vote because I believe in voting. I also have my grandchild and cousin and would like them to know voting is very important,” said Theresea Allen.

Tim Bhia, Dewitt Town Center Poll Site Manager, says he is confident that people will continue to cast their ballots even if they have to go to another location to do so.

I don’t think it has really deterred anyone from actually voting. I don’t think there has been anyone that has showed up that had to go to another location that didn’t seem like they were gonna make the effort to go vote today.

Four times as many voted early this year compared to last — resulting in a relatively calm day. Town of Dewitt water department supervisor John Monahan who works at the town hall says he took advantage of early voting.

“I literally walked downstair gave them by name cast my ballot and i was right back up at my desk in 45 seconds. It was a topic of discussion upstairs we could just not believe how many people came in for early voting. And now today is the actual voting day and there are not too many people here,” said Monahan.

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