Hurricane, Lines, Virus Don't Stop Port Washington Early Voters

ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NY — A hurricane, long lines, limited parking and the coronavirus pandemic couldn't keep Port Washington voters from hitting the polls early this week.

On Thursday afternoon, rain soaked a procession of socially-distanced residents — some wearing sandals and shorts, but most in jackets, hoods and hats — lined up outside Gayle Community Center in Roslyn Heights, the closest location for Port Washington residents. Voters reported waiting outside about 20-30 minutes as the last vestiges of Hurricane Zeta plodded over Long Island.

At the Roslyn Heights location, lines stretch through the parking lot and down Lincoln Avenue. The community center's parking lot is blocked off to voters, so many park at the Roslyn Long Island Rail Road train station or on nearby side streets. Due to the pandemic, voters all wear masks and maintain at least 6 feet apart.

A message left with the Nassau County Board of Elections seeking the number of early and absentee votes cast wasn't immediately returned. But state elections officials told WNBC-TV on Wednesday that 1 million New Yorkers cast ballots over the first five days of early voting. Many reported waiting in long lines as voters try to navigate coronavirus concerns and voice their support or opposition to President Donald Trump and his first term.

In Port Washington-related Facebook groups, early voters reported waiting in lines anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour this week.

Michael Usoskin posted a photo Saturday on Facebook showing a man waiting in line in a camping chair. Usoskin said he waited 55 minutes and that a poll worker came outside to ask whether people in line had absentee ballots.

"Here's the line to vote at the Gayle Community Center in Roslyn Heights," Usoskin said in a Facebook post. "Second pic is another, shorter line that someone who had just voted told some of us in line about, so a bunch of us switched over. Either way, be prepared to wait when you vote!"

Another said: "Voted [Tuesday] in ROSLYN. Line went around and down the block but it was about 35 Min from getting on line to putting my 'I Voted' sticker on. Only 'looked' crazy, but wasn’t bad. They were sanitizing pens and practicing social distancing."

Rather than wait in the line, some drove past Roslyn Heights to the Yes We Can Center in Westbury or to the Nassau County Board of Elections building in Mineola.

"If you’re voting early, go to Westbury," one person said Monday. "Zero people in line currently. I'm here all day volunteering. It’s about a 5-minute drive from the Roslyn location."

Another Facebook poster shared a similar sentiment.

"Tried to vote in Roslyn and that was crazy. Drove over to Board of Election in Mineola and that was amazing. Great parking, a civil, not too long line- about 20 minutes. It was very well run," the poster said.