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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Before we get to your calls on why you're voting anyway if you consider your local election for mayor or anything else non-competitive? Here's a program note. I will be hosting an election night special tonight. We begin at eight o'clock as the polls close in New Jersey. They close at nine in New York. First of all, please do go and vote. Don't take the outcomes for granted, but after you vote, tune in and call in to our election night special. I'll have WNYC's Nancy Solomon on the New Jersey election and Brigid Bergin on New York. Plus, Kai Wright thinking big thoughts about it all. We will also go live to some headquarters.

Election night live on WNYC radio and wnyc.org. Join me tonight at eight o'clock. Why are you voting, if you think you know the outcome and you don't even think it's going to be close? Merrill in Brooklyn, you're on WNYC. Why are you?

Merrill: Hi, I first want to say just the biggest thank you in the world to you for everything you do, don't know what we would do without you.

Brian Lehrer: It's very nice.

Merrill: Also, I just want to say I vote because it is the absolute bare minimum least you can do as a citizen. You have to do it regularly to model for the children in your life and everybody else. It's just super important [sobs].

Brian Lehrer: You're getting emotional about it. Isn't that wonderful? Somebody who's voting in an election that they think they know the outcome to, still is choked up about the importance of doing it for the sake of future generations. If we don't vote, then we're going to eventually lose our right to vote. I should say line six is Chris in Park Slope. Chris, you are on WNYC. Merrill, thank you so much for your call. Hi Chris.

Chris: Hi, there. I vote even if it's not a competitive race because it's good practice. If the next time the election is competitive, you have your routine down and you're ready to go.

Brian Lehrer: Chris has got his voting finger all warmed up for the time that it matters. Peter in Queens, you are on WNYC. Hi, Peter.

Peter: Hi, Brian, how are you?

Brian Lehrer: Good. You've got a little more candidate-specific reason than the first two callers who really just want to support the enterprise of voting, right?

Peter: That's correct. Yes. I know Eric Adams is predicted to win and I just wanted to vote just to make sure Curtis Sliwa doesn't have a chance. I'm no fan of Adams. He wasn't my first choice. He was probably my last choice in the primaries, but a guy like Sliwa is crazy. He can't be allowed anywhere near the mayoral office.

Brian Lehrer: Peter, thank you very much. Certainly, he and his supporters would say he's not crazy, whether or not you disagree with his policies. Peter's like, "This is not supposed to be close, but I think this one candidate who's supposed to lose would be so horrible for the city that I'm just going to go out there and try to make triple, quadruple, quintuple sure." Sam in Windsor Terrace, you're on WNYC, I think with a whole different story than we heard from any of the first callers. Hi, Sam.

Sam: Hi, Brian. The first reason has to do with something you said earlier, which is, I think it's important to our democracy to get out and vote even in an election like this. What I did, I really don't like Eric Adams. In fact, I called your show and you asked him, I asked him, about his acceptance of big real estate money. I think he's going to be a terrible mayor. I think he's beholden to the big real estate, big business interest in our city and I think he's dishonest. I wrote in Maya Wiley for mayor because I-- and I wouldn't have done that if I thought there was a chance that Curtis Sliwa could win, but I don't think my vote is going to tip the election either way.

The other reasons I voted are because there are some candidates on the ballot who I strongly support and like, and I wanted to show them that support. One is Shahana Hanif, who's going to be the first Muslim city councilperson. The other is Brad Lander, who's been my city councilman for many years, and they're both dedicated, progressive elected officials, or going to be, and I wanted to support them. Finally, I wanted to vote for the ballot initiatives that are going to make it easier for people to vote. Those are the reasons I thought it was important to vote.

Brian Lehrer: Sam, thank you for all those reasons. Standing up and actually being counted for the candidate who is seen as a shoo-in, in some of those cases, that's a different reason than we've heard from previous callers. Then, the write-in portion of that is also interesting. Sam, obviously, doesn't like either of the major mayoral candidates. So, even if he knows it's not going to make a difference, and even as he said because he knows he's not going to be a spoiler, then he gets to stand up and write in, in his case, Maya Wiley, just to make a statement as an individual. Another reason to go vote in an election seen as non-competitive. Lou on Staten Island, you're on WNYC. Hey, Lou.

Lou: Good morning, Brian. Thanks for taking my call. I am particularly happy because for the first time I was able to vote, which I just did 18 minutes ago. I voted straight down the democratic line. I voted for Mr. Adams as mayor because I am particularly interested in police reform. I do not like what has become of NYPD. They have become very, very unprofessional, and being a former cop, I think, or at least I expect him to bring some professionalism into the ranks and that's why I voted up for him. I'll tell you something else, Brian, I'm not just going to sit back and watch. I'm going to be in his face, in his office.

I have his telephone numbers and I'll make sure he does what he promises to do, because look, we need to professionalize this force. I don't like the way the NYPD has become at all.

Brian Lehrer: Lou, you know I know you as one of our regular callers and I always appreciate your voice. Honestly, you're giving me chills and I'm getting a little emotional about you right now because I had no idea for the number of times that you've called the show that this would be your first vote ever. Are you a recently naturalized citizen?

Lou: Yes, I was. I had gotten the opportunity five years earlier, but two weeks [unintelligible 00:07:06] swearing in ceremony, I changed my mind because it was something that took place in this country before an election, which I totally disapprove of. I called the office of Homeland Security and I told them I wasn't going be able to-- I wouldn't take citizenship this time because I didn't like the result of the election. They told me, "Okay, that's my business," but that means I'll have to go back and start all over.

Brian Lehrer: Lou, you mean because Trump-- am I understanding you correct? Because Trump was elected president, you didn't want to be known as a US citizen?

Lou: Precisely. That was my reason. I called them, I told them that, and they told me it was my business, but if I ever wanted to, I'll have to start all over. I have to wait for another four and a half years. I just became a US citizen this going July. I applied for passport, I applied for voter registration, I got all of those and everything, so I voted this morning, a few minutes ago.

Brian Lehrer: How did it feel?

Lou: It feels great. Now, you can actually come out and talk boldly. You can do it in the community, but you can't go further because there is always this thing hanging over you, question mark and you have to answer this question mark. For me, the question mark has been answered now. I got an exclamation and a period.

Brian Lehrer: You bring up another reason that no other caller has mentioned yet, which is that if you vote for somebody who you want to hold accountable, you then can say, "I voted for you," which is a lot different than saying, "I voted against you and I don't like what you're doing." A politician might be more likely to dismiss you in that case and dismiss your concerns, but if you say I'm one of your supporters, and that person wants to keep you for the next time. You say, "I'm one of your supporters, and I really want you to consider this seriously." Then, in a sense, you have a little more voice.

Lou: That is exactly my point. I don't like the idea of voting against someone because you don't like them. No, to me, that's childish. The issues are that we have to improve the life we live. We have to improve the communities, the school, the future generation that is coming up. I will not vote against somebody because I don't like them. I may not like their policies or their what else-- but no, I won't vote for you or against you for those purposes.

Brian Lehrer: Lou, thank you so much for calling and keep calling us. Thanks a lot.

Lou: Thank you, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Here's one on Twitter. Listener Isaiah writes, "I had the honor of covering a Boston city council election as a journalist in which the victor, after a recount, won by one vote. It actually happened and was a profound experience for all of us who witnessed it. I guess if you're a voter in an election that's decided by one vote, it's hard to take your vote for granted after that, or your right to vote. How about Dave in Cranford, you're on WNYC. Hi, Dave.

Dave: Hi, thank you for taking the call, Brian. First, unprompted, wow, that previous caller wants to be a citizen but wasn't willing to do it under Trump. I think that demonstrates that people have died for the right to vote. I vote every year because not only it's my right, it's my moral responsibility. Regardless of the chances of whoever anybody you support, go vote. It's the right thing to do. On another note, I'm an extremely locally elected Democrat and in my ballot, I voted for four Democrats, four Republicans, including Governor Murphy and Jon Bramnick, a Democrat and Republican. I voted no and yes on the questions, and at our local school board level, we have some pro-follow the science when it comes to the pandemic and one candidate that doesn't want to do that so much. I'm a very interesting fellow.

Brian Lehrer: Well, can you give us a 30-second version of what unifying set of values or interests leads you to vote for Democrats for some things and Republicans for other things.

Dave: I'm a flamingly Liberal Democrat and incredibly independent of the machine, even though I'm a locally elected member of the party. We desperately need a viable democracy. If January 6th wasn't a wake up call, I don't know what is. There are good people on all sides on all levels of the political spectrum and we need to support them.

Brian Lehrer: Dave, thank you very much for your call. Eddie in Plainfield, New Jersey, you're on WNYC. Hi, Eddie.

Eddie: Hi, good morning. Everybody's got to get out and vote. I got out and vote because especially in the smaller elections like these, our votes are 10 times what they would be in the larger elections. Number two, these people are not spending millions of dollars to get elected because my vote doesn't count. All right, get out and vote. I'm done.

Brian Lehrer: That's all you needed to do, thank you very much. Let's see, how about Betsy in Westchester, who I think is going to be our last call? Hi, Betsy.

Betsy: Hi, thanks for taking my call, and thanks to everybody, I think that this segment should be packaged and handed out on street corners. I wanted to call just to say that I think a big turnout can put pressure on politicians to show that we're watching, or maybe it makes more sense if I say it in the converse. When we don't turn out to vote, this very simple thing that people have died for and we don't have to yet, it suggests that we don't care and we're not paying any attention, and they can get away with whatever they want to. I really think that we need to be out there.

Brian Lehrer: Betsy, thank you so much and you do get the last word and who knows, we may not hand this out on street corners, but maybe on Twitter and podcasts and USB drives. Thanks to all of you who called. Don't forget that I will be back hosting an election night special tonight on WNYC. We begin at eight o'clock, that's when the polls close in New Jersey and then they close in New York at 9:00. Join us for Election Night Live on WNYC beginning at eight o'clock tonight.

As for this morning, the Brian Lehrer Show is produced by Lisa Allison, Mary Croak, Zoe Azulay, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond and Max Balton. Zach Gottehrer-Cohen works on our daily podcast. Megan Ryan is the head of live radio, Juliana Fonda and Sean Sundra at the audio controls. Talk to you again tonight. Happy Election Day everybody. Don't take Election Day for granted, no matter how non-competitive you think the race in your district might be. Get out there and vote.

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