(Polling story)
“On days like this, we always make sure we have a lot of coffee,” said a poll worker at the South Hill Elementary School polling location
The sky was still black and an early morning chill hung over the South Hill Elementary School early this morning, as voters lined up to cast their ballot in one of the most highly anticipated and historic elections in recent memory. It seemed as if coffee and the economy was on the mind of many voters.
Arlene*, one of the first voters at South Hill arrived at 6 a.m. in order to beat what is anticipated to be a heavy turnout. As soon as she was finished voting she headed straight for Starbucks, which was giving a free large coffee to anyone that presented an “I Voted Today” sticker.
“I really didn’t want to have to wait in line, and I decided 6 was the best. Now, I’m going to get a free cup of coffee from Starbucks,” she said.
Joseph LeCates, a Cornell graduate student, used voting, rather than coffee to calm his nerves.
“I want to feel like I’ve done everything I can. It’s the first time I’ve paid so much attention to an election. I came out early to calm my nerves.”
LeCates, like many others cited the economy as one of his primary issues when voting. Starbucks in downtown Ithaca was a hub of election excitement. Voters, fresh from the voting booths, cashed in on their free coffees and talked politics.
“It’s been a zoo, but it can only get better,” said Karen, the barista. “There have been a lot of new faces this morning.”
One woman, after receiving her free coffee, gushed about the excitement of voting.
“It’s just such a great feeling, to hear the machine when you pull the lever, and you just feel like you made a difference.”
Another man, a teacher on his way to work jovially summed up the morning. “This is such an Ithaca morning. Coffee and voting.”
*it was requested that her real name not be used.
No comments:
Post a Comment