Election Day Snapshot: Violet Avenue Elementary School, Poughkeepsie
It’s 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8: E-Day. At Violet Avenue Elementary School, one of 18 polling places in Poughkeepsie, a steady stream of cars is pulling in. Rush hour is approaching but not quite here, so lines are minimal. No sign of the long wait times that have plagued other parts of the nation, especially in very populated areas, where voters wrapped around buildings and waited for hours. Still, cars filled both the parking lot and semi-circle in front of the school.
Eager voters at Violet Avenue ranged from young adults, to moms with kids in tow and an elderly lady who was dropped off at the door. She took it slow, clearly having a bit of difficulty walking, but persevered in order to have her say in this election.
There were only a few lawn signs outside the school, and they weren’t for Donald or Hillary. Instead, they supported Sue Serino and Terry Gipson — the two major candidates vying for a state senate seat. Serino and Gipson’s race has received considerable local attention in an election season so hyper-focused on the presidency.
As an interesting side note, the American flag outside the school flew at half-mast today. This may be in anticipation of Veteran’s Day this Friday, or in honor of something else that happened today, ignored by all while we counted electoral votes.
Soon, Violet Avenue Elementary may receive an influx of college students, as Marist College is offering a shuttle service to those who are registered at the school. This is being sponsored by the offices of Student Affairs and Safety & Security. Vans will depart from Marist hourly from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., with a possible 8:30 p.m. departure depending on demand.
Polls will close at 9 p.m. statewide, but residents will have to wait for final results. For the western islands of Alaska, polls will not close until 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, although it is likely that Trump or Clinton will reach their required number of electoral votes before then. Until that time, Poughkeepsie residents must simply hold their breath and wait.
