The early Eagle catches the worm: Early voting kicks off in Queens

Voters across Queens went out to the polls on Saturday to vote on the first day of early voting despite some bad weather. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

By Ryan Schwach & Noah Powelson

Despite the rain pouring down on the five boroughs on Saturday, thousands citywide and in Queens went out to the polls to cast their vote on the first day of early voting.

In Queens, from Jamaica to Astoria, voters braved the rain to vote in local city council races, judicial races and the pivotal citywide races for comptroller, public advocate and mayor.

In the World’s Borough, there are tight races for three open city council seats, but almost all the attention is on the top of the ballot with the race for mayor.

Queens candidates are in a place of prominence on the mayoral ticket, though, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and term-limited City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams all trying to stir up the communities they in some way call home.

While the attention is on the mayor’s race, Queens’ local races are anything but unnotable. City Council races in Jamaica, Jackson Heights and Maspeth centered districts are without clear frontrunners and have seen money and endorsements flow in and split amongst the candidates.

On the first day of early voting, 6,470 voters in Queens joined the over 30,000 citywide who went to vote.

Queens was third behind Brooklyn’s turnout of 10,244 voters and Manhattan’s 10,003 votes.

Behind Queens was the Bronx with 2,698 voters and Staten Island’s 1,138.

Those numbers are nearly twice what they were during the first day of voting in the 2021 primary during the last mayor’s race.

It is hard to put much credit behind the first day of early voting, since many don’t head out on the very first day and some communities like Orthodox Jews won’t because it falls on a Saturday.

While voters differed in what bubbles they filled in on their ballot, all who made the trip to vote on the first day of early voting told the Eagle they felt it was important for them to make their electoral voice heard.

“I voted [today] so I didn’t forget,” one Jamaica voter remarked in passing to the Eagle.

Voter and Rochdale resident Lauren Monee, felt it was particularly important she get out this year.

“I want to make sure that we push, because our community needs change,” she said. “We need to keep Rochdale affordable. As a person who actually resides here, I'm looking to make sure that the candidates that we elect are actually fighting for us, doing the work and making sure that we get the change and the proper affordability and services for our community.”

Others are happy they have early voting since it allows more options for them to get voting in regardless of busy personal or work schedules.

“We're actually going upstate to visit family, so this was our only opportunity to vote,” said Paul Oleyourryk in Astoria. “So we wanted to make sure our voice got heard, especially in the mayoral election.

It was the same situation for Drew, a young voter casting their vote back in Jamaica.

“I'm going on a trip next week, I had to make sure I got out,” he said.

Drew cast his vote at the Rochdale Village Community Center, which sits in the heart of Speaker Adams’ “Great 28” district and site of the primary to replace her. There, voters pushed trudged puddles and swarms of election volunteers passing out literature.

District 28 voters were also joined by several of the candidates. Local activist Japneet Singh, organizer LaToya LeGrand and former Councilmember Ruben Wills were all there when the Eagle was on Saturday.

“Rochdale has been an extremely busy site so far, I think one of the best in Queens,” Singh told the Eagle. “We just want to make sure we get out the vote.”

Singh talked highly of what he called “the most diverse across this district” that knocked on over 50,000 doors by his campaign’s count.

“We're hoping to bring this home now,” he said.

LeGrand had an optimistic view on the weather, and her election chances.

“The rain is always good, because that means things are growing that we need,” she said. “I feel encouraged, I feel confident.”

She said she is encouraging voters to rank their full ballot.

“Rank the vote no matter who they're voting for, just to rank the vote,” she said. “That's their right.”

Adams’ district Chief of Staff Ty Hankerson, who is carrying the support of the Queens Democratic Party, and local businessman Romeo Hitall are also in the race for District 28.

Rochdale resident Monee told the Eagle she is all in on Hankerson.

Rain didn’t stop residents in Rochdale from casting their vote on the first day of early voting. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

“He's been doing the work before he was chief of staff for Adrienne Adams, he's been doing the work since he was a child.” she said. “It's like a no-brainer for me.”

Further north, Jackson Heights voters also filled in bubbles in a tight city council race in District 21 between District Leader Yanna Henriquez, organizer Shanel Thomas-Henry, progressive Erycka Montoya and David Aiken Jr, who is running in his second council election.

Although, voters at the Jackson Heights library were more wired in on the big race, and the issues that are fueling it.

"I'm a public school teacher and I find that we, as public employees, can't really afford to live in New York City,” said Amanda Vender. “But also our public schools need to be funded and we need to lower our class size.”

Affordability was the issue many voters had on their mind when they filled out their ballot.

"I just moved to Queens a couple weeks ago because I was priced out of Brooklyn,” said Peter Morgan. "I think I decided who to vote for pretty early on, everything since has kind of affirmed that."

Christopher McFarlane, a five year resident of Jackson Heights, said he knew less about the down ballot races, but was voting for Mamdani for mayor.

“From the information I've been able to deduce I think he's got the right idea,” he said. “I think that if he surrounds himself with a team of effective people then a lot of these pie in the sky ideas, even if we reach 45 percent of where they are, will be more the city I wanna live in then say, Cuomo's idea."

The mayor’s race is also top of mind in Rochdale and in Astoria, home turf for the two Queens representatives slash mayoral candidates; Mamdani and Adams.

If either of them hope to win, they will need to consolidate support in the communities that put them in office in the first place.

“I think Adrienne has done great work since she's been in,” said Monee. “A lot of our schools have gotten funding. I've seen a lot of technological upgrades, tennis programs for the children, she does a lot for the seniors.”

Monee said she ranked Adams one, and Cuomo two, and hopes the former gets the support in her home district.

‘I would hope so,” she said. “Our people can be easily swayed, but I hope that we come to our senses and do the right thing.”

Regarding Cuomo, she said he has “common sense.”

Young voter Drew didn’t want to say who he voted for, but said that Adams had "definitely been on [his] mind.”

Jackson Heights voters fill out their ballots in local and citywide races. Eagle photo by Noah Powelson

In the eastern stretch of Mamdani’s Astoria district, across the street from the early voting site of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, a mural still bears the names of former local elected officials. Nearly all of the candidates whose names are painted in Greek flag-blue on the mural have been replaced by Democratic Socialists of America endorsed candidates.

Among the names, Aravella Simotas, who Mamdani primaried and beat to get into the state legislature.

“I think that there are some old voices that are trying to get back into New York State and New York City politics,” Oleyourryk said. “I think I want to continue to see progressive change and not any reverting back.

Oleyourryk said he hopes Mamdani gets support in his home district, and that the endorsement from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who primaried and beat Congressman Joe Crowley to get into office, helped his candidacy.

Crowley’s name is also on that mural.

Early voting continues through Sunday, June 22, and Election Day is that Tuesday, June 24.