He  arrived at the Frank McCourt High School in the Upper West Side to vote with his wife, Nancy and four-week-old rescue cat, Gizmo , one of 17 rescue animals he owns. But the kitten was not a welcome sight to elections workers who refused to let Sliwa take Gizmo to witness his big  moment.

And it went downhill from there.

After handing Gizmo to campaign aide, election workers  asked him to remove his “Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor” jacket stating it was considered electioneering, but he refused to take it off and instead challenged them to arrest him, which they did not.

“So one hour and 20 minutes, we’re being told first we couldn’t have Gizmo,” said Sliwa. “And obviously the garb. We wore this garb last Saturday when Nancy voted, no problems, we were in and out.”

Next he had problems casting his vote.

After Sliwa inserted the first page of his ballot, the voting machine jammed and an error message stating the ballot had been counted, but not deposited appeared. Repairmen spent over one hour restoring the machine and Sliwa’s ballot was successfully counted.

“You see the incompetence and the inefficiency, and if it was just directed at me I could understand,” said Sliwa. “I’ll be going to polling locations all day until the final tally at nine, and I will hear stories from Democrats, Independents and Republicans that their name wasn’t in the book even though they voted in the presidential election. They were told to go to another polling location and then were shuttled around, or their ballot was not properly received by the scanner.”

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa speaks with members of the press with his four-week-old rescue kitten, Gizmo, outside Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Sliwa was barred from entering the polling location with Gizmo due to election site rules.Photo By Julia Bonavita

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa’s wife, Nancy adjusts his mask before entering Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Photo By Julia Bonavita

The media and onlookers surround NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa’s wife and his wife  Nancy  as he prepares to vote at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Photo By Julia Bonavita

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa was asked to remove his “Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor” jacket while inside Frank McCourt High School on the grounds of electioneering in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Photo By Julia Bonavita

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa fills out his ballot with his wife, Nancy at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Photo By Julia Bonavita

An error message is displayed on the voting machine Sliwa used to cast his ballot at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The machine became jammed before Sliwa could submit the second page of his ballot, stating the ballot had been counted but not deposited.
Photo By Julia Bonavita

New York City Commissions of Elections President Fred Umane addresses reporters after Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa ran into multiple issues while trying to vote at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

A mechanic from the NYC Board of Elections repairs a voting machine after technical issues failed to clear Sliwa’s ballot. Photo By Julia Bonavita

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa inserts the first page of his ballot into the polling machine at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The machine counted, but failed to deposit, Sliwa’s ballot due to mechanical issues and took over an hour to recover.
Photo By Julia Bonavita

NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa and his wife, Nancy address reporters after voting at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, NY on Tuesday, Nov. 2.Photo By Julia Bonavita

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Thanu Yakupitiyage, 27, is a queer immigrant living in Brooklyn, New York on a work visa and says she supports political candidates based on actions not identity. Photo by Leticia Miranda

Just after the Supreme Court released their decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, Christine Quinn gathered supporters outside of the Stonewall Inn. The case’s lead plaintiff, Edie Windsor, made an appearance and announced her proud support for Quinn. It was a symbolic moment where Quinn placed herself as the second in line to make gay and lesbian history as the next mayoral hopeful.

This moment was not her first and would not be her last even as her mayoral campaign gave way to Bill de Blasio as the leading Democratic candidate. Over the last two months Quinn has made bold attempts to court the LGBT vote by framing herself as the first lesbian woman mayor in New York City history and a symbol for gay rights nationally. Indeed her election would be historic, but her campaign strategy to pander to the LGBT vote as a bright symbol of progress alienated some queer people of color who say that policies and actions matter more than identity. Now on primary day, Quinn’s campaigning is languishing in the third place with hopes of at least participating in a run off fading fast.

“There was so much excitement about Christine Quinn because New York has never had a female mayor let alone a gay mayor,” said Thanu Yakupitiyage, a 27 year-old queer Sri Lankan activist who lives in Brooklyn, New York on a work visa. “At the same time, I don’t think it’s enough to vote for Christine Quinn because she’s a lesbian woman.”

Yakupitiyage has been closely following the mayoral campaigns though she is ineligible to vote because of her immigration status. She is especially critical of Quinn’s track record on paid sick leave, hospital closures and raising the minimum wage.

Two years ago, Quinn refused to let a paid sick leave bill come to a vote at the City Council in an attempt to cater to New York’s business community. When the Council finally voted and passed the bill, Quinn marked it a victory for New York while glossing over her attempts to stop the bill from a vote. But most importantly, Yakupitiyage is critical of Quinn’s support for Ray Kelly and her failure to vote against the Stop and Frisk bill, a part of the Community Safety Act which would prohibit police officers from profiling people based on race, gender, age or homelessness.

For some queer voters of color, Quinn’s vote on the Community Safety Act showed them that she is an unsurprising moderate candidate who manages to tap into her identity as a lesbian while also failing to concretely address the issues facing those communities.

“In some ways she challenges the gender norms,” said Chelsea Johnson-Long, a program coordinator at the Audre Lorde Project, a LGBTQ rights advocacy organization based in New York City that has been a fierce opponent of the city’s Stop-and-Frisk policy.

“But as a black lesbian who comes from a working class community, I have bigger concerns than getting married.” Johnson-Long said every time she walks in the subway with her girlfriend, police stop her to check her bag.

“I would be excited to see her address the intersections of race and sexuality and how that affects New Yorkers,” said Johnson-Long who has worked with trans and queer communities of color in New York for five years. For others, Quinn’s identity platform is hardly a beacon of hope. Instead it confirms their cynicism about the possibility of electoral politics to bring equality.

“It would be unprecedented to have people of certain identities in high offices,” said Julian Padilla, a 27 year-old queer Latino in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn who casted his vote today for Bill Di Blasio. “But if they’re going to just use that to continue the disenfranchisement of those communities, we have to rethink electoral politics as the solution for social justice.”

Padilla learned about Quinn’s campaign mostly through Facebook where his friends showed their disapproval of the candidate after she failed to vote to ban profiling as part of the Community Safety Act. Quinn only voted for the provision of the Act that established an inspector general.

“She put herself at odds with communities of color and LGBT communities of color,” said Padilla. “ I would love for the city to have a lesbian mayor but before I want a lesbian mayor I want a mayor who is actually going to back policies and bills that support lesbians in general.”

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John Liu supporters Sajed Chowdhury, Ivan Khan, Paulina Baltazar and Sam Allen with John Liu’s wife Jenny Liu, second to left, on primary day in Jackson Heights, Queens. (Photo Credit: Paulina Baltazar)

With 105,000 registered voters, the Muslim community makes up 10 percent of New York City’s 4 million voters. But in this year’s mayoral election, many Muslim Americans are struggling to find a candidate who has sufficiently addressed their concerns.

“We want to feel like we’re part of the city, too,” said Razib Haq, co-owner of Jackson Heights Food Court and Bazaar. “We feel neglected, unlike other Americans.”

Among the community’s concerns is an addition of Muslim holidays to the public school calendar and, more importantly, the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods and mosques.

According to an investigation by the Associated Press last year, the NYPD never found terrorist activity in over six years of controversial spying on the community.

“I’ve heard about the surveillance inside the mosques and the labeling of any mosque as a terrorist organization,” said 22-year-old Hunter College graduate Mohammad Hossain. “It’s very unfair and unjust to just assume something like that. I know there’s a negative stereotype with Muslims around the world. But this is New York City – it’s like the melting pot.”

While 10 percent is not a huge chunk of the city’s total electorate, it makes sense for a mayoral candidate to court the Muslim community, which tends to vote Democrat.

“That’s a huge community so you would want to get those votes,” said Hossain.

Democratic candidate and city comptroller John Liu has persistently attempted to court the Muslim community by frequenting mosques earlier this spring.

Hossain said it’s important for New York City politicians to reach out to the Muslim community.

“As a whole, there are a lot of Muslim people in New York,” he said.

Sofana Rabb,23, a paralegal at immigration law firm Roman & Singh in Jackson Heights, said, “It would be nice for a mayoral candidate to reach out specifically to the Muslim community.”

Rabb, who supports Democratic candidate Christine Quinn on issues like job employment and health benefits said that she would like to see Quinn cater more to the Muslim community so it “can feel a sense of security.”

Other voters however think that the inability of the Muslim community find an acceptable candidate had led to indifference when it comes to politics.

“I can safely say that majority of the Muslims who are eligible to vote, probably don’t because of ignorance or they don’t care,” said Rabb’s brother and Bellrose, Queens resident, Sami Rabb,22. “A lot of Muslims come from immigrant backgrounds and from countries with political unrest.”

Rabb, who was president of the Muslim Student Association at St. John’s University’s last year, said that young Muslim American voters “distance themselves from the world of politics because of unrest and unfavorable conditions in their [parents’ native] country.”

“I’ll go to gatherings and a lot of kids my age will say, ‘I don’t like politics,’ “said Rabb. “The younger generation sees their parents talking about politics so they’re taught to believe that their say won’t have an impact.”

Still, many young Muslim American voters feel that New York politicians need to address Muslims’ Americans concerns about safety and religious freedom.

“We’re a huge community in New York City,” said Sofana Rabb. “We should be able to coexist.”

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Maria Marino, 47, sorts through the inventory of her small clothing store in Spanish Harlem. The candidates style influences her vote. Photo by Rajeev Dhir

It’s the final push as contenders for New York City’s top job put their best foot, and in some case, their best shoes forward to try and sway voters. But while they try to spark passion in the general public in the most critical hours, is the electorate really listening, or have New Yorkers been paying attention to more subtle cues?

Elijah Johnson met Christine Quinn while she was campaigning a few weeks ago.

“I didn’t like her shoes,” he said.

The 36-year-old retailer who lives and works in the Village said first impressions are all anyone has in a city like New York.

“Looks count and you have to look good to succeed,” he said.

Maria Marino runs La Moda Fashion in Spanish Harlem, selling clothing to women in the area for the last six years. The 47-year old entrepreneur notices two things about a person: their shoes and their pants. Looks, she said, helped influence her vote because she wants the person who invests in the issues and their appearance to represent her city, but she wouldn’t let on who gets her vote.

The way a person looks is important no matter what city you live in, according to Jami Crane, an image and style consultant who works with clients ranging from students to business professionals.

“Image and clothing are absolutely critical to consider during any election,” Crane said. She believes they may add to a person’s credibility and what they’re trying to impress upon the public.

But not everyone agrees. Chelsea resident Andrea Martens voted for the person she felt had the city’s best interests at heart. Even though looks don’t account much for her, the 24-year old said she wouldn’t be surprised if wardrobe and style played a part in the way people voted or how candidates presented themselves.

“It is New York City after all,” she said.

Jessica Proud, a media spokesperson for Joe Lhota’s campaign, said despite being a native New Yorker, Lhota’s image hasn’t changed in years.

“Joe likes to buy all his shirts from Costco,” she said. “He doesn’t like to get bogged down with expensive clothing.”

The creature of habit apparently even lays out his clothes the night before.

“He’s already got his suit and tie picked out for voting day,” Proud added with a laugh.

That’s something Me’chelle Turner,22, understands very well. The Spanish Harlem resident always knows what she’s going to wear before she leaves home.

“I care about the way I look, and I’ve been watching what the candidates are wearing,” she said before grunting the word suits.

“Even the gay one,” she added, referring to Christine Quinn, whose office didn’t return calls.

While wardrobe and appearance can play a key role in shaping any campaign, Crane believes they shouldn’t distract voters from a candidate’s message and platform, adding, “I am not sure it plays a stronger role in this election.”

That’s not necessarily true in Turner’s case. Even though it wasn’t Bill de Blasio’s own personal style that helped push her into his voting camp, the image of one of his relatives did – his son Dante’s.

“The afro got me,” she laughed.

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Dunkin Donut worker Crystal Lopez, says she can’t afford to buy everything she needs on her minimum wage salary. Photo by Alexandra Palmer.

On this primary day, while a lot of New Yorkers are casting their ballots for the candidate of their choice, fast food workers in Washington Heights are debating the weight this election holds for their economic futures.

“Homelessness and getting laid off are issues everyone’s facing, that’s why we need a new mayor,” said Amy Grossman, 19, a resident of Washington Heights and an employee at the fast food chain Chipotle on 168th and Broadway.

Grossman was referencing the 73% increase in homelessness during Mayor Bloomberg’s 12 years in office.

“I worked for minimum wage, and I just feel it’s horrible,” she said.”

Washington Heights boasts a population of 159,314 residents, mainly Dominican Americans. Workers and residents alike are looking for a mayor that will raise minimum wage, end the threats of homelessness and make a change in their neighborhood and city.

For six years minimum wage has remained frozen at $7.25.

“I’m fine here, Grossman concluded. “I love working here. I have a second job, but that’s for food and shopping expenses.” She said she’ll vote for Thompson, because he seems more involved in the community.

Across the street from Chipotle, Jelani Fernandez, 25, an unemployed resident took a five minute break from his job hunt and sipped a hot cup of coffee in the neighborhood’s McDonald’s. He said he’s not voting because all the candidates appear to be the same. But he wants the new mayor to increase minimum wage, “maybe $15, $16, $17,” he said.

The Washington Heights Chipotle. Photo by Alexandra Palmer

In regards to the ever-widening gap between the city’s rich and poor, Fernandez said fast food is an option for people to not be jobless, but there should be more options.

“This rise of rent, low incomes, more taxes on the lower and middle classes limit people to work and to stay home,” he said. “You have to pay the bills, the electrical bill, phone bill, food bill, you live a slaves life, you go to work and then you go back to your cage.”

Maintaining a job that is unable to provide the basic necessities is not an option for Fernandez.

“If I have no choice or other option, I would take a fast food job with my mind already thinking about the next step in my career to take,” he said.
Another block north, a new Dunkin Donuts has opened up in the neighborhood. Just one month in operation, Dunkin workers there too are in favor of increasing their wages. Crystal Lopez, 22, a Bronx native, said she can’t afford everything she needs on her current wages.

Lopez fears she cannot afford her already humble lifestyle. In the end she said, “only if things start to change will the new mayor become important in my life.”

If forced to make due with the current minimum wage Lopez said she would just make do.

“I’ll just cut my spending and keep working really hard to survive,” she said.

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