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Democracy in Action is an Election Day project of the student journalists of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.Students on assignment represent all the journalism programs at the Newhouse school, including graduates and undergraduates in Broadcast and Digital Journalism; Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism, Multimedia, Photography and Design and students in Military programs.

Voters, not all happy, still turnout to the polls

Nicole DeMentri
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WRVO News (file photo)
Parking signs in front of Faith Heritage School in Syracuse on Election Day 2016.

Faith Heritage School, located on Midland Ave, opened its doors for voters as students got the day off.  Voters and their families started to show up in greater numbers as the day went on, but many expressed they could not wait to put this election cycle behind them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m94HTMnffi0

“It’s my duty to do this. I don’t like either of the options we have, but lesser of two evils,” stated Syracuse resident Carol Minor.

Minor was just one of several residents who expressed their frustrations with the candidates.  Fellow voter Marsha Thomas could not believe the series of events that led up to today.

“I’m 62 now, and I’ve never seen anything like this before, it was kind of like all of the strife and confusion, you would have thought it was two little kids up there standing.” Thomas added “you would’ve thought it was elementary school or something.”

Minor took it a step farther, “It was a farce, it was a ridiculous, like little babies, both of them.”

Credit Nicole DeMentri / Democracy in Action
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Democracy in Action
Voters and poll workers at Faith Heritage School in Syracuse on Election Day, 2016.

Fellow voter Jack Stewart understands that while elections can get dirty, the focus should always be elsewhere.

“I think it was really too much name calling. I don’t think they stuck with the issues,” Stewart admitted.

Stewart acknowledged that he cast his vote for the candidate he thought would be best suited for improving the job market.  “The most important thing for me was jobs, we really need to bring back more jobs from overseas, that’s really hurting this country a lot.”

Voters were able to enjoy short lines early in the morning at Faith Heritage School -- a nice treat for those who felt it was their duty to elect the country’s next officials.

“Voting is very important, it is your right to vote.  If you don’t vote how you can say anything about anything,” Thomas asked.  ““I had to come out and vote.”

Stewart, expressed his emotions about the process.  “Well I feel if as though, in the past if people could march millions and millions of miles just to get me the chance to vote then I could drive around the corner to vote.”

Minor conceded that while the outcome might be in her best interest, it might not be the smoothest process.  “Heaven help us all. It’s going to be scary, very scary.”

Democracy in Action in an Election Day project of the student journalists of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.