They voted early because they care for women’s health and reproductive rights; because they want the economy to get better after closing the southern border; because they want to send a message with the popular vote; because they want to avoid the long lines of Election Day; because there is too much crime; because they want someone who respects the office of the presidency in power; because the next president needs an iron fist; because they want to make America great again; because they want their voices to be heard; because they want to “vote the garbage out.”
This past week Documented spoke with early voters outside the Queens Library polling site in Jackson Heights, and from concerns over reproductive rights to calls for a stronger economy, national security, and presidential respect, the reasons voters voted early were as varied as the neighborhood of Jackson Heights itself, where 66% of residents are foreign-born. As early voting turnout surged past 701,402 across the city in the first six days, these voters came forward early to ensure their voices were heard, embodying the melting pot that Jackson Heights has long been known for.
Voters of all ages and ethnicities filtered in throughout the days, leaving with the quintessential “I Voted Early 2024” red, white and blue stickers on their chests. (For Halloween, the stickers had a pigeon holding up a pumpkin candy bucket in orange and black.) Some voters paused to take selfies, while others continued with their day, blending back into the crowds at the busy Roosevelt Avenue.
More than 1.3 million New Yorkers have turned out to cast their vote in the first four days of early voting, surpassing the number of votes for the same time period in 2020, according to Kathleen McGrath, public information officer for the Board of Elections. The Jackson Heights location has seen a daily average of 1,500 voters, a site coordinator told Documented. While voters had differing opinions on the stances that are most important to them in this election, one of the things they did agree on was how efficient and fast the early voting process was.
Pedro Antonio Miranda Anglero, 53, came out of the polling site on Tuesday afternoon, dressed in a shirt with a black and white graphic of the Puerto Rican flag. He said he wore it to make a statement about the recent joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during a Donald J. Trump rally last weekend at Madison Square Garden, calling Puerto Rico “an island of garbage.”
“I believe there is a time and place for inappropriate comments, if you want to call it that. I felt disgusted; I felt disrespected.”
He hadn’t planned to vote in person, but after not receiving his mail-in ballot, he decided to make his way to the polling site to vote early and ensure his vote got counted. “We have to send a strong message to [Trump] with the popular vote,” he told Documented. He encouraged people to head out to vote even in states that are likely to remain blue, like New York.
Miranda Anglero, who was born in the municipality of Salinas in Puerto Rico, moved to New York at the age of five and has been living in Queens for 13 years. He has been a lifetime Democrat and says he has seen how the Republican MAGA party has “infiltrated” the Latino community. “I want to make sure that I represent my values and promote the freedom to vote, and vote with consciousness.” He believes comedian Hinchcliffe’s comment about Puerto Rico was directed not just at Puerto Ricans but all Latinos. “So this is our response to the garbage comment. We will throw the garbage out.”
Sabin Karmacharya, 45, migrated from Nepal in 2004 and has lived in Jackson Heights for 14 years. He came out to vote early on Thursday morning, Halloween, so he would have enough time to go trick or treating with his children, ages 9 and 2, who would be dressed up as a pumpkin and as a pirate.
“I want the economy to be better for everyone who lives in the United States to get better,” he said. “Now the rent is gonna go up. The groceries are gonna go up. The new president should focus on the economy, more focus on the United States, not outside. To make America great again.” Karmacharya recommended all eligible voters cast their ballots now to avoid the rush of Election Day. “Don’t listen to the people. Listen to your heart,” he said.
Leonardo Carrera, 74, has always voted Democrat, he said, as he left the polling site with his wife Luz. Like other voters, he voted early to avoid the busy lines on Election Day. He counted 10 elections that he’s participated in since naturalizing around 45 years ago. “I would like to say vote Democrat and basically vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because we need a change from the chaos that we had under the Trump administration. And we don’t want to repeat that.”
Carrera said abortion was one of his top priorities, particularly Proposition 1 on the back of the ballot, which advocates say enshrines the right to have an abortion in New York state along with equal rights for other groups. He wants America’s next president to be someone “responsible and educated” who would respect the president’s office.
Roger, 78, who asked Documented not to use his full name or photo, is originally from the Philippines and came out to vote early on Monday, voicing his concerns for the economy and unregulated immigration. He hopes the president “fixes” the situation at the Southern U.S. and Mexican border, particularly focusing on undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers who have presented themselves to enter the U.S. in the past four years. “Once you close down the border, then the economy will get better,” he said.
Gabriela, 19, made it to the polling site in her burgundy scrubs after finishing a 9-hour shift as a dental assistant to cast her vote. It was her first time voting, and she told Documented she felt excited to do so. “I voted because women’s health and reproductive rights are very important to me,” adding that the situation at the southern U.S. border was also a critical issue for her.
Gabriela, whose mother is from Colombia, was born in New York and has lived in Queens all of her life. While she supported Donald J. Trump three years ago, when she was too young to vote, she said that she has since changed her mind after learning more about the issues impacting the economy and the wellbeing of the country. She also does not agree with Trump’s claims about planning to eliminate birthright citizenship. “It would affect me because I am a citizen born here,” she said.
Julie Skurski, 78, said she voted early because she cares about immigration and reproductive rights. “Just yesterday a woman died because they refused to take care of her miscarriage,” Skurski, who teaches Anthropology at the City University of New York Graduate Center, said. “I support Proposition 1. I’ve been really alarmed at the false ads on TV, saying that, you know, it opens the doors for non-citizens to vote and all kinds of fake and alarmist things.”
Also Read: Dark Money Group Uses Proposal 1 to Attack Immigration
Skurski, whose late husband was from Venezuela, said the rhetoric on a national level about immigration is also concerning to her. “I think it’s extremely threatening for immigrants. If he were to be here now to see how Venezuelans are being demonized, he just would have been heartbroken,” she said.
After voting, she bought flowers from a local Mexican vendor on 37th Avenue. to place in a small altar for her late husband. The altar, she explained, was to celebrate El Día de los Muertos on Nov. 1 — a traditional day of remembrance of loved ones celebrated by Mexico.
Victoria Jara, 69, is an Ecuadorian immigrant who has lived in Jackson Heights for 20 years. She voted for the first time in the 2020 election, casting her ballot for Trump, whom she said she supported again this year. She expressed excitement at exercising her right to vote and encouraged all eligible voters to do the same: “It is up to you to ensure this country doesn’t regress.”
For Jara, who is traveling internationally next week, early voting was very convenient. She told Documented she believes public safety is the most important issue for the country. “I would like a good president to take care of the issues going on in the United States, especially with immigration,” she said. “Many have arrived that are unwanted. As you are probably aware, there are thefts, killings. We need someone with an iron fist.”
Early voting runs until Sunday Nov. 3. Find your poll site here.
Also Read: Your Ultimate New York Voting Guide for the 2024 Elections
