Merokeans Flock to the Polls to Cast Their Ballots

This story was written by Chris Boyle.

Hurricane Sandy may have come and gone, but her residual effects are still being felt by many local residents in the form or power outages and long lines at the pump. However, that didn’t stop Merokeans from turning out to cast their votes in today’s elections. 

Saw Mill Road Elementary School was one of several polling places set up in Merrick, and droves of locals turned out to cast their ballots in the hotly-contested Presidential battle between Democratic incumbent Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

Kathleen Barry Chairlady of Voting District 1450, has been involved in running elections for over 38 years, and said that today’s turnout was very strong, hurricane or no hurricane.  

“Voting has been heavy today,” she said. “We’re currently over 50 percent of all of our voters in our district have voted already, and that’s very unusual. We opened out doors at 6 a.m. this morning, but we had voters here at 5:15 a.m. waiting to get in.”  

In addition, the Saw Mill Road polling place was also accepting displaced voters who were unable to vote in their home district due to complications with Hurricane Sandy, such as power outages and fuel shortages.  

“We have a whole bag of them,” she said. “Anyone can come, we check their I.D., and we let them vote.”  

Josephine Emmanuel made the trek to Saw Mill Road to cast a vote in favor of seniors’ rights regarding health care, a subject she says she takes very seriously.  

“I’m a senior on Medicare,” she said. “I prefer President Obama’s health care plans over other plans that have been put on the table. I think he’s fighting for us, and he tells the truth.”  

Merrick resident Michael’s vote was dictated by many of the hotbed social issues being brandied about these days- especially when it concerns women’s reproductive rights.  

“I’m worried about the threat of undoing things that were started 30 years ago, such as abortion,” he said. “I don’t trust what the Republicans are saying, or the numbers they’re presenting...the real problem is that not enough of Americans are vocal about these issues.”  

Kelly Hammond said that the nation’s financial crisis is first and foremost on her mind, and that she feels a change is required in the White House to finally get things fixed.  

 “I think how we were four years ago, and if we’re any better now, and we’re not,” she said.

“So, I’m going to vote to try and make a difference on that. I’m sick and tired of working, working, working, and not getting anywhere, and having friends and family out of work. There are so many people unemployed, and I’m tired of it.”