SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW YORK—Sunny and 70 degrees in the valley, election day 2024 is officially underway in Sullivan. Voters in Tusten, Highland, Callicoon, and Cochecton hit the polls in a steady stream through the morning and afternoon. 

A little girl sandwiched between her mother and father walked out of Tusten Town Hall after her parents cast their ballots. The girl's mother said to the River Reporter, “We voted because we want our kid to grow up in a world that we’re proud of, not one we’re scared of.”

“It’s good to lay the foundation,” they said about bringing their daughter along who shrugged when asked about what she thought about voting. 

In Callicoon, a young girl around eight accompanied her parents to the polls. She said it was her first time tagging along and with a huge smile spread across her face said “I really liked it, it was cool.”

“I just came out to vote in the presidential election,” another voter said to the River Reporter, “I want Donald, we need unity, and we need to improve the economy,” said the woman in her 60s, who added she didn’t see the point in voting in statewide races.

Alternatively, a registered Democrat voting in Highland said she valued that the Democratic candidate for New York’s 100th Assembly district, Paula Kay, seemed to understand the hyper-local issues of the town.

Lia, a Tusten voter described her interaction with a group of men after voting: “As I was walking out a group of guys, men, held the door for me, and I said ‘thank you for respecting women’, and they said ‘see the old way…you got to respect the ladies.'” 

How do voters feel? One Tusten voter referenced a meme she had seen that compared election day to waiting for STD results. “Please, please, please, no HPV,” she joked.

“Nervous” and “scared,” were used multiple times by voters describing how they felt.

A voter in Calllicoon said “Hopefully things turn out smoothly if they don’t the country will end”

After having just voted, nearly 10 voters between Highland and Tusten described feeling "disillusioned" and that their vote “makes no difference anyway.” One voter referenced the Electoral College.

Despite those feelings, ultimately they all voted. 

Why?  

“You have to do something,” one Tusten resident said.

A Highland voter said you can’t complain if you don’t vote. A voter in Callicoon shared a similar sentiment, “Who knows if our vote did anything but if you don’t vote you can’t b*tch about it.”

An older gentleman, who votes every year, said, “Things are not going in the right direction,” and that voting today, “I’m really just thinking about the future of my grandkids and kids, that’s what I’m worried about, even though I feel like politicians might not be able to change it I’m praying, it might be a miracle.”

Despite not believing his vote would change much he said, “It’s my duty, I wasn’t born here, I became a citizen in the late 70s and have voted since.”

“I wasn’t sure I was going to vote,” one person said. “I hate the idea of knowing I’m voting against my neighbors and friends.” After talking to a friend for fifteen minutes he decided to come cast his ballot. “We need more unity,” he said. 

Voters in Tusten, Highland, Callicoon, and Cochecton reported no lines, no trouble, and a smooth experience in the late morning on November 5. 

A little before 11:00 AM Tusten had 276 voters, approximately 19% of the town's total population. 

Highland is one of the few river towns where in addition to the presidential and state races voters will be voting in a local election to choose a new member of the town board. At a little after 1:30 PM Highland had tallied 549 votes, approximately 25% of the town’s total population

Just after 5:30 approximately 15% of the town of Callicoon had voted at the youth center in town. 457 votes had been tallied and between 15-20 combined mail-in and early ballots. 

Polls in New York State are open until 9:00 PM and voters in line before the polls close are eligible to vote.