Let the polls begin: Vote grumbles in storm-hit state

New Jersey voters complain of polling station conditions.


November 07, 2012

HOBOKEN:


New Jersey voters on Tuesday formed impatient lines amid rubble and rotting rubbish left by superstorm Sandy as election officials scrambled to be ready for the US presidential vote.


At Hoboken, one of the towns worst-hit by superstorm Sandy, one of the makeshift polling stations opened 40 minutes late at 6:40am (1140 GMT). There were 60 people in the sharp morning chill surrounded by the debris.

“This is unacceptable, we have been here since six,” said Adora Agim, 38, a software engineer in the queue.

“Yesterday when I called the town clerk, they told me to go to my normal polling place.” She went to the designated school in the town on Tuesday morning and found a sign on the door saying it had moved to a community center for seniors. The flood damage was too great.

After the makeshift station opened, a volunteer came out and told the grumbling crowd: “Please excuse the appearance of this place, two days ago it was under two feet of water.”

Agim, a migrant from Nigeria who was backing President Barack Obama, said it was important to vote despite the troubles. “I have lived in a third world country where your vote does not matter,” she said.

John Margolis, a 46-year-old investment banker supporting Republican Mitt Romney, found that when he got in the electronic voting machine was not working. He was told to join another line to fill out a paper ballot. That queue was too long and he decided to return later in the day, perhaps enough time to change his mind about who to vote for.

New Jersey is a Democratic bastion and should have no major impact on the result of the presidential election. But the government’s response could help swing voters elsewhere.

The northern half of New Jersey, and particularly Hoboken, suffered widespread storm damage when the storm hit on October 29. Hundreds of thousands of people remained without power on Tuesday and gasoline was rationed across much of the state.

Virginia

Virginia, which helped put Obama into the White House in 2008 after favoring Republicans for years, is one of the so-called battleground states where the contest is so tight that it could swing the final national outcome.

Within 20 minutes of polls opening, dozens of voters were seen by waiting outside voting stations in northern Virginia, an early sign of enthusiasm in the race between Obama and Romney.

Voters lining up outside City Hall, in Alexandria, VA from 6am Eastern Standard Time (EST) to cast their vote. The state, where both Democratic Party candidate President Barack Obama and Republican Party candidate Mitt Romney have campaigned extensively over the last few months, is one of the crucial swing-states, where success for either candidate may be a decisive factor in the election.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Jane Clancy, a resident of Alexandria, said she had voted for President Obama.

“I want to continue on the path of recovery, I think that’s the best way. I don’t think you should change horses in mid-stream and I’m happy with the job Obama has been doing,” said Clancy.

“He knows what he’s doing, he has more experience and I feel more confident,” said Charles Pabon, who voted for Obama.

Don Hollay, who voted for Mitt Romney, said “I’d like to improve the economy and reduce the debt, that’s my main issue.”

“I’d like to see Mitt Romney as president.I think we want someone who has business experience …” said Neil Hammerstorm, clad in a suit with a Romney/Ryan sticker affixed to the jacket.

Polls also opened at 6am (1100 GMT) in battleground states New Hampshire could also decide the election -- as well as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine and Vermont.

AFP (with input by Huma Imtiaz in Virginia)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2012.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ