On Presidential Primary Day, Many Long Islanders 'Disgusted' With Race, Candidates

Democrats and Republicans who turned out to vote in New York presidential primary on Tuesday may have widely different political views, but they were united in a general feeling of "disgust" at the race so far.

Many on Long Island said they were voting for a particular candidate merely to keep the ones they disliked most out of office.

Republicans were given a choice of Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz or Gov. John Kasich, while Democrats could pick either Sen. Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton.

Beth and Tom Donovan, of Greenport, voted for Kasich.

Primary Day is critical, Beth Donovan said, "to make sure you get your candidate in."

Her husband shook his head. "My vote was more to keep one of the candidates out."

Beth said she and her husband had never voted in a primary before Tuesday but felt compelled because the race is so important.

Poll worker Tom Lamotte in Greenport said he felt attendance was steady, with 152 votes cast in one of the three districts at Greenport High School by 4 p.m.

Jo Marie Colby, who lives in Peconic Landing in Greenport, said she was "very interested" in the election. "I don't want the other party to win."

Colby voted for Trump. "I want change," she said."I want things to happen."

But, she said, she's "not crazy" about Trump, and she's not happy with the process, but she doesn't want to see Clinton win the race.

Southold poll worker Alice Kramer, who has been at the post for 52 years, said voter turnout was slow; up until 4 p.m. with three districts turning out to the polling place at Southold High School, only 600 votes were recorded. "It's a shame," she said.

She attributed the low turnout to a general sense of dissatisfaction across the board with all the candidates. "People are disgusted," she said. The candidates, she added, have been "vicious" to one another in the debates and campaign season.

Another reason why voter turnout may have been low, she said, was the general confusion over primary day rules. People who might be registered to vote in the presidential election might not be registered with the party to vote in the primaries.

Susan Barnes, voting in Southold, said her main reason for voting for Kasich was to "take votes away from the other two candidates."

Her husband John said voting in the primary was crucial. "If we don't take the time to get involved in the choices being made, we have no business griping about it after."

John Barnes said he was voting for Clinton, who, he said, has a "great deal of ability and knowledge, and is capable of making the right decision in the complex, messy situation we have in government right now."

Sanders, he added, is a "wonderful fella, but I don't think his ideas are logical. I don't think he can pull them off."

Greenport resident Mark Droskoski said there was only one choice in his eyes — Trump. "The world is on fire. I want to see someone go in there who can fix things."

In Southampton, Lisa Votino-Tarrant said she was voting for Hillary Clinton, although she liked a lot of Sanders' ideas. "I don't agree with Hillary on everything, but I thought she was an excellent secretary of state and she is a very empowering woman. I can't wait to see the first female president."

She added that primary day is so important to political parties. "It really sets the tone for the parties for the remainder of the election. It gives the rank and file voters a chance to tell their parties what their priorities are and who they think best represents those ideas. It is a shame so many people ignore the primaries because they really are our chance to select someone who thinks closest."

After voting at Forest Lake School in Wantagh, Erica Rose told Patch that she voted for Sanders, the senator from Vermont, "because I feel like he's the only person on the ballot I can trust. He's never changed his viewpoints."