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…