By Joe Anuta
Queens residents drawn out by the presidential race packed the polls in many parts of the borough, putting an additional strain on the city Board of Elections already burdened by the task of collecting ballots in neighborhoods destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
Many areas hardest hit by the hurricane, like Breezy Point and Broad Channel, were conservative enclaves deemed crucial in the borough’s most hotly contested race for the state Senate. City Councilman Eric Ulrich (D-Ozone Park) challenged state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) for his seat, which covers Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Glendale, Middle Village, Woodhaven, Maspeth and parts of South Ozone Park, Rego Park, Ridgewood and Sunnyside.
Addabbo pulled out a victory and held onto his seat, according to poll numbers late Tuesday night.
The race was one of several being watched closely by both parties, since it could have upset the balance of the state Senate, currently controlled by Republicans and led by Senate Speaker Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre).
On a federal level, state Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) faced off for a congressional seat running from Ridgewood in the west through Forest Hills, with the bulk of the area covering northeast Queens neighborhoods like Flushing and Bayside.
Meng handily won the seat and praised the voters for putting another woman into federal office.
Incumbents all over the borough retained their seats. In races for vacant spots, Ron Kim beat out Phil Gim for a Flushing Assembly position. The win makes Kim, the first Korean American elected to statewide office in New York.
Farther east, Nily Rozic handily defeated her opponents, including Jerry Iannece, who lost to her in the Democratic primary, but ran against her again on the Independent line in the general election.
Long lines at polling sites were common all over the borough.
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park) said Rockaway residents waited in long lines to vote in tents, although homeowners who lost everything in the storm had other things on their minds.
“You would expect that people are upset and angry, but that is absolutely not the case,” Goldfeder said. “What I experienced are people sharing stories. There is really a somber tone, but I think people are excited to do their civic duty.”
In Flushing, Marina Xydous waited for an hour and a half at PS 214, at 31-15 140th St. in Flushing. Not expecting such a backlog, she had to leave to pick up her son Christopher from school and told the poll coordinator that she would be back. When she returned, she was told to stand at the end of the line and wait all over again.
“I was told that I could get back in line,” said a furious Xydous, holding the hand of her 5-year-old. “I’m a single mother.”
When asked who he voted for at around 2 p.m., Peter Gelosa, of Flushing, said, “Nobody. We’re not waiting on line.”
The economy was the top priority for some Queens voters.
Rich Rinaldi said he voted for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Halloran because he wanted someone to fix the country’s economic woes.
“To me it’s like a regular corporate job,” he said. “If in four years you didn’t fix things, it’s time for someone else.”
Kenneth Freeman and his wife Marilyn voted for President Barack Obama and Meng, citing social issues and the future of Medicare as the main impetus behind their Democratic loyalty.
“Overall, we voted for [Meng] to keep the amount of people in the House who could possibly support the president in the future,” Freeman said.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
