Voters across the Hudson Valley are heading to the polls today to cast their ballot in some major primary races.
It's a bit of a crowded field for both Democrats and Republicans for New York's gubernatorial primaries.
In the Democrats gubernatorial race, Gov. Kathy Hochul will try to keep her office but she needs to beat out Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
There are four candidates in the Republican gubernatorial primary - Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Harry Wilson, who served in the U.S. Treasury during the Obama administration, and Andrew Guiliani, son of the former New York City mayor.
So far voter turnout at the polling spots
visited by News 12 has been low. Election officials says early voting was open
for nine days leading
up to today but that was low as well.
Astorino came to Hawthorne Elementary School
with his family to vote. He says he's not surprised voter turnout is low but
he's urging everyone to come out. "Hopefully
people vote today. It's a very low turnout, which means every vote is so
important. So if you're a Republican, you need to get out and vote. You need to
get your family to do so, your friends and neighbors. That's going to make a
huge difference "
Wilson, a
businessman from Scarsdale, voted at the Fox Meadow Elementary School in
Scarsdale. Despite being relatively new to the campaign, Wilson is optimistic
about his chances. "We
started late. Several people have been running for one or two years. We only
started four months ago…We offer
something so much better for the state of New York. I think that really
resonated"
Primaries are also being held for New York lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and dozens of races within the New York State Assembly.
Primary day usually doesn't get big voter turnout but the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on full carry gun permits in New York and Roe v. Wade may bring more people to the polls.
In order to vote in today's primaries you need to be either a registered Democrat or registered Republican and you have until 9 p.m. to cast your ballot.