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LV Sees Better Voter
Turnout for Primaries

On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, Super Tuesday, the Locust Valley Library was open to voters for the primary elections. Despite rainy weather, voters slowly made their way to the community room of the library. For a while, there was almost no one in the parking lot, however, cars began to clog the driveway by mid-day.
Voting at the beginning of Election Day was busy, said library patrons, however at around ten o'clock in the morning, the election officers were watching the Giants' parade on a television in the polling room.
Carol Cashman, an election officer said that "only four voters" showed up to the last primary election, on the Republican side, at the Locust Valley Library. However, this time, 61 Republican and 57 Democratic voters showed up as of 11:30 AM. The Democrats had seen 15% of their expected voter turnout so far. Cashman commented that voter turnout seemed much better than last election and that "it shows more people are interested this year."
Paul Long, chairman for the Board of Elections district 1514, was reading the guidelines book for Super Tuesday. Long mentioned, "the youth voters should start [to arrive] later, after they get out of work and school." Long recruited his college student son, who seemed more interested in helping voters get checked in rather than the parade, to help work at the polls.
Mid-morning to late afternoon, many voters and library patrons were discussing the voting process and choosing between "some very compelling candidates."
Margaret and Neal Bergano of Locust Valley are registered Democrats. They declined say for which they were voting, saying it would take "a half hour." They did say they were interested in the two strong Democratic candidates.
Another Locust Valley voter, said that she voted "for Hillary Clinton, because she will make the best president...she's very smart, she has a lot of experience, and I like her."
Buenaventura Mora, of Glen Cove, is a professor of nursing at Long Island University, Brooklyn as well as an RN. She was not at the Locust Valley Library to vote, but was there to pick up a book for her daughter. She is heavily interested in the health care system and her vote leaned towards the candidate who expressed strong concern for health care reform.
Despite the rain, Larry Glenn, of Locust Valley, held up his umbrella as he walked from his car to vote for McCain. "I'm very happy and proud to vote for John McCain…he's a good senator and candidate; I think he's a very good man."
Beth Catanzano and Carolyn Olgesby, two circulation desk clerks from the library stepped outside during a break and agreed that voter turnout was much better than expected. Catanozano is a registered Independent, and was annoyed that she was unable to vote on Super Tuesday. Olgesby, a Democrat, said that for the November election, she will vote for who she feels would do the best job, rather than letting party boundaries limit her vote.
The voters have spoken and one week after Super Tuesday, McCain, Huckabee, Clinton and Obama are still in tight debate and discussion amongst the residents of Locust Valley.

•Sarah Schoenholtz