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It was an election of firsts, not just for Barack Obama, who became the first African-American president-elect Tuesday, but for Lot Aing and Emanuel Mills.
For Cambodian immigrant Aing, who recently became an American citizen, it was his first time voting at Morton Elementary, 63rd Street and Elmwood Avenue — and he picked a winner.
"It’s historical," the resident of 65th Street and Dicks Avenue said of the election. "It’s either going to be the first black president or the first woman vice president."
At Eastwick Library, Island Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard, it also was Mills first time at the polls, having turned 18 in June. Entering the booth and pressing the red button was an amazing experience for the resident of 72nd Street and Elmwood.
"It felt like I had the power to change what’s going on in the country. I just hope whoever I voted for follows up on what he said he was going to do," Mills said, declining to name his choice because "you’re not supposed to say who you voted for."
Both were among those in briskly moving lines all day and night at area polls.
Archie Byrd, from the 6200 block of Willows Avenue, came to Morton after work at about 5:30 p.m. to cast his ballot for Obama.
"I think what he’s speaking is right. I hope he is going to do right," Byrd said.
Poll watcher Nick Merlino from Buist and Island avenues said a steady trickle of voters, about 10 at a pop, filtered into Eastwick Library since polls opened at 7 a.m. Nov. 4. For Merlino, volunteering is a passion not a job.
"We want to make sure our man gets in," he said referring to the senator from Illinois. "We need the change. I’m just a dedicated Democrat who believes in the change that this new president is going to bring."
Upon exiting the library after casting her vote, Maureen Johnson from 77nd Street and Dicks said she thinks Obama will bring major change on a global scale.
"Just a more modernisitic, yet realistic, outlook on the world," she said of her candidate.
In Philadelphia, Obama scored 574,351 votes compared to Republican John McCain’s 113,036 with 99 percent of precincts tallied as of Thursday afternoon, according to phillyelectionresults.com.
Got a story for us? Contact Staff Writer Lorraine Gennaro at lgennaro@southphillyreview.com or 215-336-2500 ext. 124.
