Hillary Clinton’s supporters gathered outside the Javits Center, where the Democratic nominee will address the crowd later tonight. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
A crowd gathered on 11th Avenue outside the Javits Center to watch results roll in for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. After a long line for a security screening, supporters watched CNN on a jumbo-sized screen that showed favorable results.
With the glass ceiling of the Javits Center in the background, attendees expressed excitement as the 2016 campaign entered its final hour.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blaiso addressed the crowd from a small stage outside and recalled the days, 16 years ago, when he worked as Clinton’s senate campaign manager. He said tonight he feels “the same hope, the same pride, the same inspiration knowing we will make that same woman president of the United States.”
For Steve and Jennifer Russo of Manhattan, politics is a family affair. They brought their two kids to the election-night event. “We’re big Hillary supporters,” said Steve Russo. “My wife and I met on Mario Cuomo’s 1994 reelection campaign.”
Their daughter Isabel had organized a day where the students at her all-girls high school wore white, often associated with the women’s suffrage movement, to recognize the achievement of a woman poised to win the White House.
All eyes were glued to the jumbo television as results slowly rolled in as polls closed in swing states. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
Cameron Laufer, a 21-year-old student at NYU originally from San Diego, cast his first vote for president for Clinton. He said there is more enthusiasm for Clinton among young people than most people realize.
“I feel like millennials get a bad rap, but people are passionate about her as a candidate more than is widely reported in the media,” Laufer said.
Deepa Bijjula, 31, from Long Island, said she tried to get a ticket for the main convention center, but still was excited to be outside. “We wanted to celebrate a momentous moment,” she said.
“And we want to see her speak, so we’ll stay for that, too,” Bijjula said.
The crowd grew noticeably quiet after 9 p.m. as the results showed very close races in swing states, with Trump in the lead in some states, though with a lot of votes yet to be counted.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump supporters were outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan amid a heavy police presence. There were more partisans for Trump than for Clinton, and the two sides often screamed at each other. Here are some of the faces of protestors on Election Day:
“I wanted to come out and represent women,” said Marni Halasa from Revolution is Sexy, which bills itself online as a political consulting service. She appeared with a sign that read, “Trump Make America Hate Again.” Halasa said that no one, especially someone running for public office, should bully women. All photos: Amanda L.P. Gomez.
“Por 50 años votamos democrata, pero nada cambia,” said Joey Zeno, a Puerto Rican and Donald Trump supporter who complained that for half a century Latinos have pushed the Democrats’ agenda, but nothing has changed. He and his wife support Trump’s plan to build a wall and compared it to locking his door. “If you lock your doors at night, that doesn’t make you a racist,” Zeno said.
Jose Bermudas, a Cuban residing in Manhattan, was out to support Trump and show that Latinos are voting for the Republican candidate. “Necesitamos un cambio radical,” Bermudas said; the country needs a radical change. “Esto significa el futuro de la nación,” he added, saying that today will decide the country’s future. Bermudas expected more women to join the mostly-male demonstration later tonight.
Giovanni Paliotta, an Italian immigrant living in Queens, is against the war in the Middle East and hopes that a Trump presidency will end American involvement in foreign conflicts. Earlier today, he skipped the two-hour wait at his polling place and returned later in the day.
Elizabeth Golden, right, and Cassandra Najar from Manhattan voted before going to high school this morning. After school they decided to protest outside Trump Tower. In this election, it is very important to stay proactive about voicing your support, Golden said. Najar said that they wanted to let Donald Trump supporters “know that they are not in charge of the whole city.”
Fo Balis, manager of Georgia & Aliou’s Tiny Treats Café, in Columbus Circle. Photo: Danielle Prager.
By Danielle Prager
Many Americans look forward to the way life was before the 2016 election season. But some may find themselves with fewer friends.
According to the Polling Institute at Monmouth University, seven percent of Americans have reported ending a friendship over this year’s presidential race.
For Fo Balis, manager of Georgia & Aliou’s Tiny Treats Café in the Columbus Circle subway station, political conversations and differing opinions have cost her a number of relationships. “Politics drove a wedge between many of my friendships,” she said.
Originally from Los Angeles, and the daughter of two Greek immigrants, Balis no longer talks to many of her childhood friends.
“I don’t want to talk to them,” she said. “I no longer have anything in common with them.”
Facebook sparked the initial turmoil. After many of her friends attacked her in the comments section of her Clinton-supporting Facebook posts, Balis chose to block them completely.
But because of the tight-knit Greek community, Balis is forced to maintain some degree of friendship. “If I had a big party, I’d invite them not to cause problems in my community,” she said, “but I won’t invite them to a small get-together or dinner anymore.”
“If I ever called to say, ‘I’m sick,’ they’d be there in minutes to take care of me and fill my fridge. But after they’d leave, they would go and vote for Trump.”
Hillary Clinton supporters wait in line to enter the Javits Center for the campaign’s election-night rally. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
By Joseph Flaherty
For many people waiting in line at 40th Street and 12th Avenue to enter the Javits Center where Hillary Clinton will hold her election-night rally, tonight is the culmination of hours of work and anticipation.
Jessica Falk of New York City said she has been volunteering for the campaign for over a year.
“I’m excited for our first woman president,” she said.
Jerry Fernandez, another volunteer for the campaign, manned the line that spanned the exterior of the center, making sure people had their tickets and showing them the way to the bathroom. There was a visible police presence, with barricades restricting access to the center.
According to the Clinton campaign’s website, the rally will begin at 6 p.m. and last until 11:30 p.m. Fernandez said the crowd is eagerly awaiting the moment the media calls a Clinton victory.
“It’s going to explode when they find out,” he said.
Alex Barrett, a 19-year-old freshman at New York University, said he’s been supporting Clinton from his home in Nashville and decided to attend the rally now that he is living in New York. He described his emotional state as “nervous and excited.”
Artist Mark Gaines, who works in ballpoint pen, sells campaign artwork outside the Javits Center. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
On the other side of the Javits Center, artist Mark Gaines showed a collection of ballpoint-pen portraits of President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Clinton. He allows passersby to sign the large-scale versions of his portraits.
“What’s beautiful about it is the more signatures, the more abstract it gets,” said Gaines. He added that he’s ready for crowds to descend on the center grounds.
“I’ll be here until the cows come home,” he said.
Though polling stations close at 8 p.m. in New Jersey, many commuters woke up early to avoid long lines at the polling stations after work.
The Midtown Gazette caught up with commuters at Penn Station during rush hour between 5 and 6 p.m.
“I got up at 7 in the morning, a little bit earlier than usual,” said Marlene Hamm, 33, of Rahway. She said there had been 5 people ahead of her in line at her voting precinct.
Marlene Hamm of Rahway, N.J. inside Penn Station. Photo: Keenan Chen.
By Keenan Chen
“I have never waited before, so this is new,” said Hamm, who voted both in the 2012 and 2014 midterm elections.
With only 14 electoral votes, New Jersey, a traditionally Democratic-leaning state, is not likely to decide the outcome of this year’s presidential election. However, some residents still take their votes seriously.
“It’s a referendum on hatred,” said Michael Henry, a 46-year-old financial consultant from Greenville, New Jersey. To avoid waiting in line, he used a different strategy: he didn’t go to the polling station until 9 a.m.
Michael Henry, a financial consultant from Greenville, N.J., shows off his “I Voted” sticker. Photo: Keenan Chen.
“My wife saw there were cars after cars lining up outside of the station, so we had breakfast and waited,” he said.
Chris Larkins, a 54-year-old financial consultant from Morris County, said he mailed in his ballot over Halloween weekend. He said the last time he went to a voting booth was back in the 80s. Larkins doesn’t plan to watch the results tonight and said he’s going to bed when he gets home.
“This is an unpleasant election,” he said.
Voters wait to enter the polling place at 322 West 48th Street around noon on Election Day. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
By Joseph Flaherty
The midday line to vote at the Associated Federation of Musicians Building at 322 West 48th Street stretched down the block, but most residents of this neighborhood near 8th Avenue were unfazed by a 45-minute wait.
“I think it’s a good sign. It’s a hotly contested election, and there are certain people we don’t want to win who will remain nameless,” said Bill, a composer who lives in the area and declined to share his last name. “I’ll wait as long as I can,” he added.
Cindy, who also declined to share a last name, has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. “We’ve never seen it like this,” she said.
Hosh, standing nearby in the line, said New Yorkers may be trying to prove a point.
“They said that there would be voter apathy, especially in a state like New York that is not a swing state,” Hosh said. “But voters are trying to prove a message and make it as much of a one-sided affair as possible.”
Gus Samios and Jacinta Orlando snap a selfie after casting their ballots at the Park West High School polling place at 525 West 50th Street. Photo: Joseph Flaherty.
Cindy added, “And this is one of the most diverse cities in the world. If the whole country comes out like this…” She gave the thumbs-up.
A few people near the end of the line left, saying they would come back later. Lines varied from block to block: a few streets away, the polling place at the Park West High School complex at 525 West 50th Street had no line.
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