2008 Woodie Awards
Election Night at the Thurlow Terrace Apartments
High turnout as Democrats dominate polls
Shane McDermott
Much like other polling locations throughout the U.S., the community room at the Thurlow Terrace apartments, located at 2 Thurlow Terrace in Albany, was filled with excitement on Tuesday, November 4th.
Throughout the country, there were record numbers of voters in the 2008, presidential election. According to poll worker John Polydouris, it was no different at the Thurlow Terrace apartments.
"I've been doing this for thirty years and have never seen such a high turnout. It's an indication of the wealth of American democracy."
The community room was rather large, about 30 x 30. There were three voting machines and four tables: Two, small, square tables and two, large, rectangular tables.
The decorations create a lively atmosphere: bookshelves and paintings line the walls, figurines are placed on shelves, and Thanksgiving decorations hang from the ceiling.
There were six residents of the apartment building sitting at a table conversing, all women. They gossiped about everything from the Presidential election to the rumors going around in the building.
A man, who looked to be in his late 20's, came in to vote, and the women all began whispering about the shirt he was wearing. It read "Heads Up Barber Shop." One of the residents said, "It looks like he works at the Barber shop up the street."
"Either that or he's just wearing the shirt," another woman responded
Another man, who appeared to be a tenant in the building, came in the community room and hollered, "Obama, the next president of the United States!" The poll workers became agitated. Apparently, he had created a similar ruckus earlier when there were voters present.
He made his third and final appearance just minutes before the poll closed, but he was kicked out of the room before he could try to influence last-minute voters.
When the voting machines closed at 9 p.m., the poll workers went to work right away and began to tally the votes. Polydouris shouted out each candidate's name, and the number of votes recorded for them.
There were ten different votes decided at the Thurlow Terrace apartments: the presidential race, state assembly, State Senate, New York House, Albany County D.A., Albany Board of Education, and two propositions.
The results were quite surprising. New York State and Albany County voters generally lean toward democratic candidates in elections, but at the Thurlow Terrace apartments, it was much more than just leaning.
According to the Associated Press, Senator Barack Obama received 62% of the vote, and in Albany County, he received 63%. However, at the Thurlow Terrace polling location, 87% of people voted for Obama.
The presidential race was not the only one dominated by democrats. These landslides also happened in local elections.
In the State Supreme Court election, Democrat Patrick McGrath won the election with 56% of the vote, but at the Thurlow Terrace poll, he received an astounding 80% of the vote.
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