Nine days of early voting in Monroe County and many other places brought out long lines at a number of sites, including on Sunday, the last day for early voting in New York.
Preliminary numbers indicate more than 133,000 county residents took advantage of early voting, and the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House was a popular spot, in part due to its history.
The leader for the women’s suffrage movement was arrested at her Madison St. home in 1872 because she cast a vote in an election.
This was the first year the historic Susan B. Anthony museum was used as a polling site.
The voting at the museum actually took place in the carriage house on that property, since it could be more easily modified for better access for voters.
Early voter Steven Rae chose the Susan B. Anthony location because of its significance as a symbol of the fight for voting rights.
“This being the place of women's suffrage, Susan B Anthony, I thought it was important to be here to make a statement,” said Rae. “And I think about the other women around the country that that probably wish they could be here. I mean, this being the one place in the United States where, this is where it all started, and I just thought it was important.”
Deborah Hughes, President and CEO of the museum, said that Anthony’s message of democracy and equality should be preserved.
“Susan B. Anthony has never been more relevant than she is right now,” said Hughes. “She believed passionately in the experiment of democracy, but democracy to really fulfill its promise has to allow each and every person or of by and for all. And of course, the United States into which she was born didn't allow a whole lot of different people to vote.”
The museum has launched efforts to expand its outreach, including a $25 million project to build a new structure that will effectively host more visitors and community events.
The planned building, designed to resemble a train station, is a nod to Anthony’s travels across the country advocating for voting rights.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. You can get more information at the voting guide on our website, and WXXI will have comprehensive coverage Tuesday night starting at 7 p.m. on WXXI Radio and TV and online at wxxinews.org.
