Working individuals, parents struggle to find time to vote

Five hours. 

Lines wrapped around the block. 

With two voting machines not functioning properly in the morning at Banana Factory, the designated polling location for the majority of on-campus registered Lehigh students, five-hour wait times to vote were the norm for most of Election Day.

Pizza, burgers, water and snacks moved up and down the lines from Democratic Party volunteers and the Lehigh Community Service Office. 

Classes are canceled for Lehigh students for Civic Engagement Day to give them time to vote and engage in other events and activities on campus and in the community. But for working individuals and parents of young children, finding time to vote isn’t as cut and dry.

Bethlehem resident Steven Brunette brought his 6-year-old son with him to vote. At Broughal Middle School, the two stood in line, passing around a football to pass the time.

Brunette’s son, like all of Bethlehem area school district students, had the day off. All of Bethlehem area school district schools are officially closed for the day, for professional development. 

“He’s done this with me every time I’ve gone to vote,” Brunette said. “He likes doing everything with Dad, so I don’t really care.” 

They continued to pass the ball during the two hours they waited to reach the polling machines. Brunette said despite the long lines, it’s important for individuals to go out and support what they believe in and do their best to make a change.

Bethlehem resident Steven Brunette and his 6-year-old pass the time in line waiting to vote tossing a football. Brunette’s son, had the day off from school. (Amanda Rowan/B&W staff)

Gina Masotto’s ex-husband went to the polls earlier in the day to vote with her 7-year-old son. They waited for one hour for him to vote and then she switched spots with him, taking her son back to the polls so she could vote. 

But once she saw the line, she called her ex to come back and pick up their son. 

“He owns a business, which we are lucky to have, but if he didn’t own his own business I don’t know what we would have done,” Masotto said. “We don’t have family here.”

Masotto waited in line for four-and-a-half hours, with a book in one hand and her phone in the other, listening to a podcast.

“I am not gonna leave this line,” she said. “A lot of women 100 years ago couldn’t do this, so I’m gonna wait in this line.”

Brunette said the long wait didn’t bother him, but for many others, the long line was defeating. 

“I was about to leave, but I said, ‘No, let me stay,’” Ioeana Zapada said. 

Zapada felt lucky because she had work off for the day to vote. 

She said when her kids were younger, she brought them to the polls. However, she has never waited as long as she did today. 

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would see this,” Sue Maure said. 

Maure, a Bethlehem resident, said she has never waited as long as she did today in past elections to vote, but the wait is important and worth it to her. 

The private school Maure used to be a teacher at never closed on Election Day, but she said it was never a problem, as she would vote after school hours. But for parents or caregivers, having school off can pose challenges. 

“It’s so important, and I think they (parents) have to maybe take on the extra burden to make sure that this happens,” Maure said. “But it wouldn’t be a problem if it was a national holiday.” 

Maure said no school and lack of childcare is difficult for many as it makes it trickier to fit voting into their schedule. 

“I think it is amazing that young people show dedication,” Lehigh parent Marla Eskin said. “It shows an incredible dedication that they really care about what goes on in this country.” 

Eskin is a lawyer and said her company knows how important voting is, and while they don’t have the day off, anyone can take time off throughout the day to go vote. 

She used to live in Delaware County, Pennsylvania and said in the 30 years she’s been voting in the Lehigh Valley, the lines have never been as long as today. 

Jeanne Wilson moved to the Bethlehem area from Williamsburg, Virginia, and voted for the first time in Pennsylvania this year. She said she has never waited longer than 15 minutes — that is until today.

“This is a pivotal election, so I guess two hours for democracy isn’t such a big commitment,” Wilson said.