New Yorkers set early voting record with more than 250K ballots cast

Wednesday, October 30, 2024
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New Yorkers hit the polls in droves over the weekend after early voting got underway in the Tri-State and set a new record in the process.

On Saturday alone, 140,000 people cast their ballots with 70,000 people from both Brooklyn and Manhattan showing up early to polling locations.

In just two days, a total of 257,860 ballots were cast in New York City. It marked one of the city's highest early voting on day one turnout ever.

The early voting record comes as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are once again visiting battleground states to sway undecided voters.

Harris traveled to Michigan on Monday while Trump visited Georgia following his massive rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.



It was a homecoming of sorts for Trump in his home state of New York as he and his allies took the stage at the Garden with some 19,000 supporters in attendance.

The event included a number of incendiary remarks about women, Harris, Puerto Rico and Democrats.

"And when I say the enemy from within, the other side goes crazy," Trump said during the rally.

Harris spoke about her political rival's remarks before touring a chip manufacturer.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Harris said the Sunday event "really highlighted the point that I've been making throughout this campaign," which is that Trump is "fixated on his grievances, on himself, and on dividing our country, and it is not in any way something that will strengthen the American family, the American worker."



That divisiveness has state officials at the ready. Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke Monday in Flatbush about the state's $140 million investment to modernize election infrastructure, which includes improved security.

"This work is non-partisan, it's not about who you vote for and as governor, it's my duty to protect the right of every citizen to safely participate in our elections," Hochul said.

Early voting reopened Monday morning at 8 a.m. and voters in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will have until November 3 to cast early ballots.

Any voters who experience a problem at the polls should contact the Attorney General's Election Protection Hotline by calling 866-390-2992 or submitting a complaint online.

WATCH: Bill Ritter and the Eyewitness News team with our Vote 2024 Election Guide.



For more information about what's on the ballot in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, please check our Voter Guide.
For election updates, please visit abc7ny.com/vote2024.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)



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