Syosset Voters Pack Firehouse for Commissioner Election

It may have been less than 30 degrees outside Tuesday evening, but that didn't stop Syosset residents from getting off the couch and into the blistering cold to

The election, held on the second floor of the at 50 Cold Spring Road, saw dozens of people waiting in line to vote at around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and drew in even more voters later on in the night.

"It's just important to be involved in the community," said Joe Kennedy, a Syosset resident of 25 years who has voted in every election. "It's the American way."

Gary Vlahov, a Syosset resident for 32 years, was on hand to lend support to his friend Rohit "Roy" Dwahan, one of three up for election. The other two candidates were Christian Pieper (the current Commissioner) and Robert Manfredonia. 

"I've known him [Dwahan] for a number of years and find him to be a respectable person," Vlahov said. "I just think he would do a good job."

Terri and Mike Walsh was one of many couples on hand Tuesday and were just happy they had the chance to express their right to vote. 

"This is just important, to come out and be a part of the community and vote," said Terri. 

Terri expressed concerns over the budget, not just at the fire station but all across the country.

"I want some fiscal responsibility - checks and balances," she said. "Not only in Congress and the Senate, but in local areas."

Voters Tuesday were presented with a ballot they haven't seen in years - a paper ballot - which proved to be quite simple to use. 

"It used to be the lever, but because of the change in the law you had to use optical sensors," said Fire District Secretary Louise Intindoli, who was working the polls.  "But, the Nassau County Board of Elections wouldn't give them to us," she said, speculating that the costs of the sensors were the deciding factor.

"I don't know the last time we used these. I don't think I was alive," Intindoli said. 

Though the paper version proved to be simple and painless for voters, the same couldn't be said about those who had to actually count the votes, hand by hand.

Intindoli added that with electronic voting, you could have results within 10 minutes.With paper, it would obviously take much longer, as the workers would have to count by hand and several times to re-count.