Queens votes: Top of ticket dominates election day as ballot scanners malfunction throughout borough

Turnout was relatively high in Queens as voters cast ballots in the presidential election and several close local races in the borough on Tuesday.  Eagle photo by Noah Powelson

By Jacob Kaye, Ryan Schwach and Noah Powelson

There may have been a handful of competitive races for the state legislature on the ballot and nearly two dozen judicial candidates running for the bench in Queens, but as expected, the race for the presidency between Vice President Kamala Harris and Queens-raised former President Donald Trump was top of mind for voters in the World’s Borough.

From Astoria to Douglaston down to Rockaway, Queens voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly said the race at the top of the ticket motivated their trip to the polls.

But the gusto to get out and vote wasn’t contained only to Tuesday. Queens saw a little more than 255,000 voters head to the polls early during the week preceding election day. Just about as many voters cast their ballots in Queens on election day through 3 p.m., according to the Board of Elections.

The approximately 470,200 total ballots cast through the mid-afternoon accounted for around 40 percent of active Queens voters. Citywide, around 1.9 million votes had been cast through 3 p.m., including early voting.

The high turnout meant long lines at some polling stations throughout the borough, which, in some cases, were made worse by malfunctioning ballot scanners.

Throughout the morning on Tuesday, polling site managers across Queens reported problems with the scanners. Voters at sites with broken machines were forced to push their ballots through multiple times before being told that their vote had been counted.

The hiccup made for some tense and frustrating moments at poll sites during an already-turbulent election season.

Multiple voters in Queens told the Eagle they were anxious heading into election day, both because of the impact the results of the presidential election would have nationally, but also locally.

Even in the overwhelmingly Democratic New York City, voters said they felt as though every vote cast would have an impact on the results of the race.

Top of the ticket

Shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, lifelong Astoria resident Duffy Contino walked out of P.S. 70 with a Trump bumper sticker in his hand. As he descended the steps of the school after voting for the first time in his life, he applied the large sticker to his sweater.

Contino said he had long considered himself to be an independent and mostly stayed out of elections because New York City is solidly Democratic – in Queens, Democratic voters outnumber Republicans seven to one. However, he said he felt inspired by Trump this year and felt inspired to vote after seeing more support for the former president in his everyday life in New York City.

Voters head to the polls in Queens on Tuesday. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

“Who knows [what could happen]?” Contino said.

Some of Contino’s neighbors, most of whom are expected to vote for Harris, said they hope Contino is wrong.

“It was important for me to know that I did my part,” Lesley Kamnitzer, who also cast her ballot at P.S. 70, told the Eagle. “I feel very strongly against Trump and I think Harris has definitely risen to the moment. I wanted to make sure that I felt okay knowing that I had my say.”

Most voters the Eagle spoke with said they had cast their ballot for Harris – President Joe Biden won 74 percent of the vote in Queens in 2020.

In the Rockaways, parts of which lean heavily Republican, many Democratic voters said a woman’s right to choose was at the top of their mind when stepping into the voting booth. They also generally spoke about the history that would be made should Harris be elected.

“I was thinking about my daughter, and what’s best for her future,” Katie, a voter in Rockway Beach, told the Eagle. “I would love for her to be alive for the first female president. It's something I dreamed about as a child, being the first female president, and I would love for her to see herself as being in the White House one day.”

Pat, a voter in Belle Harbor, also voted for Harris. Trump won by nearly 50 percentage points in her neighborhood four years ago but she said she had a feeling his support for the former president had been waning in the conservative stronghold.

“I have seen many less Trump signs,” she said. “That could signify maybe a fatigue factor.”

Despite Trump’s history in Queens, a number of voters the Eagle spoke with on Tuesday said they’d rather not be associated with the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

“I don’t think he represents the values of Queens,” said Bora Lee, a voter in Douglaston.

A closer race

While Harris was largely expected to run away with a victory in Queens, a potentially far closer race was unfolding in the borough’s southernmost district.

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots during Tuesday’s election in Rockaway.  Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

There, in District 23, which encompasses portions of the Rockaway Peninsula, Broad Channel, Howard Beach and parts of Ozone Park incumbent Democrat Stacey Pheffer Amato faced off against Republican challenger Tom Sullivan.

They were separated by only 15 votes in the final results just two years ago.

This election day, both candidates told the Eagle they were feeling good.

“We have been getting completely positive feedback, and people are really enthusiastic to vote,” said Pheffer Amato, who was campaigning in Lindenwood with Manhattan Assemblymember Tony Simone. “The top of the ticket absolutely has people talking, and they want to be out and be part of it. People want to make sure their voice is heard.”

This is Sullivan’s fourth time attempting to get elected to public office, and potentially his best chance after coming so close in 2022 and with turnout in a presidential year expected to be high.

“The unofficial exit poll is that they have it with what’s happening,” Sullivan said in Rockaway. “Whether it's crime or immigration, the cost of living – they want a change.”

Almost all Sullivan voters that spoke with the Eagle mention immigration or crime as their top issues.

“The border has to be closed,” said Peter Roach, a voter in Rockaway Beach originally from Ireland. “If you want to come into this country, come in the right way.”

Matt Scanna, a firefighter voting in the mainland Queens section of the district, also mentioned the border as his top issue

“I like Stacey and Tom, but this year I voted down the Republican line, which I don’t normally,” he said.

Pheffer Amato came into the day with the biggest advantage – incumbency and a well-known name. Her mother, Audrey Pheffer, is currently Queens’ Civil Court clerk and formally represented the neighborhood in Albany.

“I’ve been such a big fan of her for the leadership she’s done,” said Kevin Coyne. “I’m really glad people have been out to support her.”

Another incumbent faces a challenge

In Douglaston, voters endured the brisk early morning cold and leaf covered sidewalks to line up outside polling stations, optimistic and anxious to vote. Residents there were preparing to vote in the State Senate race between the district’s longtime incumbent, Toby Ann Satvisky, and potentially the biggest challenger she’s ever faced, Yiatin Chu.

Stavisky was first elected to the New York State Senate in 1999 following the death of her husband, who previously held the office. Since then, she successfully defended her office through 12 general elections, and maintained a strong majority support over the district. However, in the last general election, Stavisky faced her lowest vote share yet – 57 percent.

Conservative activist Chu had proven to have a stronger campaign than Stavisky’s past opponents, raising three times as much campaign cash as Stavisky’s 2022 challenger.

However, Stavinsky went into the day with over two decades of incumbency on her side, plus a much larger campaign coffer.

Ballot-counting machines throughout Queens malfunctioned Tuesday morning, prompting the Board of Elections to inspect all 290 polling sites in the borough. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

While the presidential election dominated the news cycle, a few Douglaston residents saw the local elections as just as important. At P.S. 187 on Marathon Parkway, some voters told the Eagle that Stavisky’s experience was enough to send her back to Albany.

“I think Stavisky is a longterm supporter of her constituents and she’s proven that,” voter Bora Lee told the Eagle. “She does a really good job hearing people out and addressing their challenges.”

Despite being a strong supporter of Stavisky, Lee also welcomed a serious contender to the ticket, saying new challengers give longtime electeds a surge of energy.

“I don’t know much about Chu and her work, but I do know Stavisky, and I know she represents me,” Lee said.

Her thoughts were echoed by fellow Douglaston voter, Bill McBride, a Queens resident for nearly 29 years. McBride said politics were a “family affair” for him, his wife and their children, and that their youngest son was voting for the first time this election.

“[Chu] was trying to use [Stavisky’s] age against her, which I don’t think is really wise because she’s been a leader for many many years,” McBride said.

But Chu wasn’t without her supporters. Several voters the Eagle spoke with said Chu’s criticism of the city’s handling of the migrant crisis resonated with them – both Stavisky and Chu opposed the large migrant shelter at the Creedmoor campus, which is within the district.

At MS 67, Christopher Ruddy voted along with his son. Ruddy said he was not a “one party” voter and frequently splits his ticket. This election, Ruddy said, he felt the Republicans were the way to go.

“I prefer more conservatives in local government, versus in the general election,” Ruddy told the Eagle. “There’s a couple hot button issues. I’m not so keen on the bail reform that’s going on. Certainly not too happy about the migrant situation and how much money has to be spent. I feel that maybe the Republicans might taper that a bit.”

Polls are open until 9 p.m. in New York City.