Photo Essay: Brooklynites Explain What They Think Is Most Important In The 2020 Election

Keira Wingate -

BROOKLYN – With so many things on the line with this election, we wanted to know what the most important issue is for voters in Brooklyn and why. Here is what they said.

Waldina Benedith, 50s, lives in Brooklyn. Cai Pigliucci/Bklyner

“I voted early to avoid the drama,” she said. “What matters to me is to have health insurance and health insurance for minorities. Whoever wins, I just want to have peace.”

Josefina Saldana outside of Barclays Center after voting on election day. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I want a clear path to citizenship for the 11 million workers in this country, notice how I said workers?” she said.

Harry Spitzer, 31, from Brooklyn. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I want social welfare platforms provided and anything to reduce the gender pay gap inequality,” Spitzer said.

Jessica Moulis, 34, wants her vote to count for all. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I would say equal rights, whether it be race, gender, LGBTQ,” she said. “Making sure that everyone is getting the same care, treatment, and choices.”

Heather Herring, an essential worker in Brooklyn. Cai Pigliucci/Bklyner

“Black Lives Matter and the stores,” she said. “I’m an essential worker, thank God, so nothing happening financially with me, but there are so many stores boarded up. There’s Christmas lights, but Christmas isn’t going to be the same this year.”

Leif Schelin, 38, wore a bright green mask to vote today. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I don’t want Trump to win again; I think it’s dangerous,” he said.

Michael Sahyoun, 52, wearing his I Voted sticker outside of Barclays Center. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

Sahyoun simply said “the economy” when asked what was most important to him in this election, and that he voted for who he thinks will fix it.

Maddy Lederman, the author of “Edna In The Desert,” voted early this year. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I think it would be devastating for the next generation of people growing up in the United States if Trump wins,” she said. “We currently have leadership that is not invested in the American people.”

Sharon Joyner, 58, holding a free rose given out to her after voting. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“I want change for the betterment of the United States,” she said.

Ali Walensky, 29, and Elan Joload, 36, voted together today, something that means a lot to Walensky. Keira Wingate/Bklyner

“Health care,” she said. “I am a breast cancer survivor, so if you take away coverage on pre-existing health conditions, I’d be dead.”

Max Mallet, 32, lives in Bed-Stuy. Courtesy of Mallet.

“My most important issue for this election is cutting down ethnic nationalism like racism and xenophobia at home and isolating dictators and hardline nationalists abroad,” he said.

Kana Niccolini, 24, lives in Bed-Stuy. Courtesy of Niccolini.

“The most important issue in this election is who’s going to address this nation’s crumbling infrastructure,” he said. “It’s one of the issues literally benefits everyone. The jobs that are involved in are good-paying jobs. The investments made are put back into the economy, whether it’s steel for bridges or asphalts for roads. The bottom line is, when you buy American and hire American, it benefits everyone.”