On October 26th in New York, the first day of early voting for the 2024 presidential election in New York State took place, stirring the hearts of millions. Numerous voters eagerly headed to the polls on the first day of early voting. In Flushing, Queens, a significant number of Chinese voters turned out to vote early, with some arriving at the polling station as soon as it opened at 8 a.m.
According to statistics from the New York City Board of Elections, a total of 140,145 people voted across the five boroughs that day. Brooklyn had the highest voter turnout with 40,289 people, followed by Manhattan with 38,237, Queens with 31,671, the Bronx with 16,462, and Staten Island with 13,486.
The Chinese community also showed a strong presence in the voting process. At the early voting station in Flushing located at 41st Road at the Boys Club, staff members reported that even before the polling station opened at 8 a.m., voters were already lining up outside. By 1:30 p.m., the station had already seen 450 voters, with a significant number being Chinese voters. The station had multiple Chinese staff members and interpreters on hand to assist Chinese voters. Before 1:30 p.m., over 100 Chinese voters had been assisted by translators.
Yuchenning, who has been involved in running the polling station for over 40 years, noted that there was a continuous stream of Chinese voters coming in to vote, including many first-time voters. Some Chinese individuals who recently became citizens had not voted before or registered as voters. Luckily, that day was the last day for voter registration, allowing some Chinese to register on the spot and be eligible to vote on Election Day, November 5th.
What challenges did Chinese voters encounter when casting their ballots? Staff at the polling station explained that some Chinese voters mistakenly marked multiple selections for presidential candidates, such as choosing both Republican and Conservative Party candidate Donald Trump instead of just one. These errors caused their ballots to be rejected by the vote-reading machines. With guidance from staff, these voters were able to correct their ballots.
The outcome of this election is closely contested, as the poll numbers of the two candidates, Trump and Helen Ho, are neck and neck. Outside the polling station, Chinese voters openly discussed which presidential candidate they voted for, each having their own criteria for choosing a candidate.
After casting her ballot, Vickie, a Chinese woman in her 30s, revealed that she voted for Trump. She was influenced by an incident two weeks prior when a man casually walked into the women’s restroom at Bestbuy, leaving her feeling unsafe. She said, “I was shocked, and I couldn’t accept it. This incident happened directly to me, prompting me to choose a conservative candidate.”
Mr. Yu and his wife also voted for Trump. Mr. Yu said, “It’s mainly about who is planning for the long-term benefit of America.” His wife shared that she used to vote for Democrats every year but, after a conversation with a friend about issues like illegal immigration and security concerns, she decided last minute to vote for Trump.
However, some Chinese voters indicated they would choose the Democratic candidate, Helen Ho. An elderly immigrant, Mrs. Zhang, noted that her criteria for selecting a candidate largely depended on their stance towards the Chinese Communist Party. She expressed concerns about Trump’s relationship with Xi Jinping, questioning whether his prioritization of American interests could potentially be influenced by the Communist Party.
Regarding the hot-button issue of illegal immigration, Mrs. Zhang mentioned that she was less concerned about it, stating that the U.S. needs labor and someone has to do the hard work. Although illegal immigration may bring about some social issues, she believed that considering the long-term impact and weighing the pros and cons was essential.
Early voting continues for nine consecutive days until November 3rd (Sunday). The early voting hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 27th, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from October 28th to November 1st, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 2nd and 3rd. Election Day is on November 5th (Tuesday), with polling stations open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.