Chinese Voters Turn Out in Force on First Day of Early Voting in New York; Chinese Share at Flushing Poll Site Rises to About Half
New York — Early voting for New York State's midterm elections began on October 24, and polling places in the two major Chinese communities of Brooklyn and Flushing saw brisk first-day turnout, with a markedly higher share of Chinese voters. According to a World Journal report on October 25, the polling site at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn's Chinese community, whose voters are mainly of Chinese and Italian descent, had recorded 379 voters by 3 p.m. on the first day, rising to 436 by 4 p.m. Site coordinator Israel Burns described the first-day turnout as "quite amazing," speculating that advertising and voter outreach played a role. The Boy Scout Club poll site on 41st Road in Flushing also drew a steady stream of voters; staff estimated that Chinese voters made up about half of those voting, up from roughly one-third in the past. By 1:45 p.m. that day, about 280 people had cast ballots at the site. Poll workers said the turnout was already strong for a non-presidential election year, and that the shift in the Chinese share of voters was especially noteworthy, possibly thanks to fair weather and heightened attention to the governor's race. Voters interviewed cited different priorities: some emphasized tax cuts and closing the border, others cared more about affordability and public safety, and some said they were voting to check the president's power. Early voting in New York State runs through November 1, and Election Day is November 3.
Source: GSM·USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 纽约法拉盛缅街与凯辛娜大道交口的法拉盛图书馆。The Flushing Library at Main Street and Kissena Boulevard in Flushing, New York. Photo: Tdorante10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
