Both U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump cast their ballots along with their families in the empire state on the morning of election day on Tuesday.
However, their fate as well as the countrys future will be decided by the American voters across the country. Although Clinton is leading Trump by a few percent points in the latest national polls, the competition is still considered neck-to-neck.
At a local polling place in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, dozens of voters had been lining up outside the building as early as 7:00 a.m.. Many poll workers were busy helping voters to find their registration, fill in their ballot and cast their vote.
Peter Vanden Bos said he voted for Hillary because he thought Trump was divisive, totally unqualified and unfit for the presidency.
"I wish the campaign would not have been so contentious and negative," he said, "Im just glad its over."
Wearing a bright red cap with "Make America Free Again," Trump supporter Alex Burlak was a rare sighting in the Borough that was considered more liberal than the rest of the city.
Burlak, a pharmacy owner, said he believed Hillary Clinton was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history and "never told the truth in public, ever."
Burlak said he have met plenty of Trump supporters in his daily life, and even though New York is a deep blue state that will eventually go to Hillary Clinton, he still wanted his voice to be heard.
In Frederick Samuel Community Center in Harlem, northern New York City, voter Desiree Kennedy did not want to disclose whom she had voted for, but said that "honestly, I dont care about either of the candidates."
"It is very scary that in 2016, there are still a lot of people who have very racist views, negative views and sexist views," Kennedy said, adding that "hopefully it will change."
At the same polling station, 44-year-old Pauline Grant said she voted more for moral than for value.
She said, for five generations since her great great great parents, her family had voted for the Democrats. "Its a family tradition."
When asked whether she thought Clinton can reunite the country and make the country great if Clinton was elected, she said she didnt think so. She said she believed that the media was biased against Trump.
In Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn, Scott, a startup owner in his 30s who only gave his first name, said: "I voted for Donald Trump, because I want something completely different."
"I appreciate Trumps business spirit because I am a small business owner. It was a difficult choice for me because they both want to get a lot of media attention. You cannot get to know the truth. I think media has been manipulated towards Clinton," Scott said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
