Primary day in Astoria

A polling site in Astoria-Ditmars reopened with new access for disabled voters.

In Astoria-Ditmars, the P.S. 2 polling site reopened on Tuesday 12 for the Primary election. Shuttered on 2012 for a lack of access for disabled voters, it has been upgraded. Ali Eissa was sitting outside the back door of the building, making sure able bodied voters didn’t take the wrong entrance.

Ali Eissa sitting on the ramp that gives access to the back door of the P.S. 2 building.

“No one with a wheelchair came in,” said Eissa around noon on Tuesday.

The 77 years-old man has been working for the Election Board for 9 years. “I was retired and I wanted to have another experience”, said Eissa. Born in Egypt, he came to the United States in 1969, and used to work in luxury hotels.

But even working for the Election Board, Ali Eissa was not planning on voting.

“I’m not going to vote because I vote in 75th and 82nd, it’s a block from my house. But they assigned me here all day, from 7am to 9pm” said Eissa.