Brooklyn voters lead the way in early turnout ahead of scorching primary day
More than 90,000 Brooklyn residents have cast their ballots early, taking advantage of shorter lines and cooler temperatures.
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With one more day left to vote early, Brooklyn residents are showing up in droves—leading the entire city in early voting turnout this election season.
More than 90,000 Brooklyn residents have cast their ballots early, taking advantage of shorter lines and cooler temperatures.
“There’s no one here, it’s empty,” said Kenisha Gabriel. “I drove by, so I figured, why not?”
For voters like Irene Rothman, the forecast for Tuesday—where temperatures could feel as high as 110 degrees in some regions throughout the state—was enough reason to vote early. Rothman says her kids would kill her if she even left the house in that heat.
“They’ll say, ‘Ma! Put on the conditioner and stay in the house,’” she joked.
If you haven’t voted yet, there’s still one more chance to vote early on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After that, you’ll need to brave Primary Day on Tuesday, with polling sites open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Long lines are expected, but voters like the Jaffier family say participation matters—no matter the heat.
“If you want to see changes politically, you have to get involved," they said. "If you don’t get involved, you can’t complain."
In light of the extreme temperatures, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Friday allowing poll sites to provide refreshments like water while voters wait to cast their ballots.
