CHENANGO COUNTY – Based on the Chenango County Board of Elections results, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump won within the county, despite a Hillary Clinton victory in New York State. Local voters opted to weigh in on the results.
Registered Republican Lisa Merrill said, “I voted in the primary for Trump, and I mainly did so because he’s the least of all evils. Also, we need a businessman rather than a politician in the White House.”
Merrill added, “I hope he [Trump] picks a running mate who is knowledgable on foreign policy.”
“I think this area has the most to lose in regards to this election,” said Sarah Youngs, registered Democrat. “For some reason small, rural areas vote against their interests. Usually conservative. But yesterday really opened my eyes that a candidate – regardless of their party – can get support based on their actual campaign and ideas.”
Youngs added, “Bernie Sanders has the best intentions for this country and he definitely is getting the ball rolling to end bought and sold politics. He's been on the right side of history all along. He's waking people up and they’re paying attention. He has my full support and he will get my vote if he runs independent.”
“I was completely devastated Hillary won the state,” said registered Democrat Tyler Cooper. “I was surprised to see him take Chenango County, as speaking to my friends’ parents and my own elders, hearing them scoff at the idea of this “millennial’s change,” most of them were put off merely by the term ‘Socialist,’ and replied with ‘We’re not Russia or China.’ Most of them were avid Hillary supporters and I thought we were out numbered as far as the county went.”
Cooper said with regard to the issues at hand he said, “I don’t fear socialist regimen because it will offer nothing but benefit to the nation. Free college, free health care, higher wages ... Who couldn't use that? I work too hard too often to be living check to check there's people I know twice my age still living check to check paying off college loans giving me advice with my college loans and the best way to handle things.”
Cooper continued, “What America fails to realize is helping the bottom of the latter does nothing but help make everything on the way up better. If you have to give a little sugar to eat cake what's the problem?”
One registered voter said she was turned away as they could not locate her name and she was not able to cast a ballot.
Another voter, not registered Democrat or Republican, said that she will support whoever is not Trump nor Cruz, as she votes for personal beliefs, and as a woman she would not cast a vote for either of those two candidates.
Countywide, Bernie Sanders received 1,494 votes and Hillary Clinton received 958.
Donald Trump received 2,384, John Kasich received 1,258 and Ted Cruz received 1,000. The 80 votes for Ben Carson were considered void.
Clinton took the majority in New York State, yet the only district in Chenango where she led over Sanders was the Town of McDonough. Trump led in every Chenango County district.