First Time Voters in the Hudson Valley Might Be in for a Surprise

I've been voting for nearly two decades of my life, and never witnessed anything like what I saw over the weekend in Newburgh, NY.

Thousands of Hudson Valley residents have been taking advantage of early voting for this year's presidential election, and on Sunday, polling stations across multiple counties had lines of eager voters spilling out of the building (below).

In the City of Newburgh, early voters lined up for roughly an hour to cast their ballots on Sunday 11/3/2024 (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Early Voting in the Hudson Valley, NY

The entire process, which took roughly 60 minutes, was made seamless by the helpful and friendly poll volunteers. Everything seemed to be business as usual, until a first-time voter got to the front of the line.

First time voters were in for a surprise in Newburgh, NY over the weekend (Canva)

Surprise for First-Time Voters in Newburgh, NY

What happened next can only be compared to what happens when it's your birthday at a chain restaurant. All of a sudden, in the middle of the quiet polling station, a volunteer yelled out to grab everybody's attention:

First-Time Voter Recognition in Newburgh, NY

"WE HAVE A FIRST-TIME VOTER!", they exclaimed, with every volunteer (and some voters waiting in line) erupting into applause. The first-time voter in question smiled somewhat sheepishly at the accolades, and took his ballot to the private voting area.

Read More: Spotlight: Is This the Most Policed Backroad in the Hudson Valley?

It wasn't more than three minutes until the same thing happened. "WE HAVE A FIRST-TIME VOTER!", followed by more rapturous applause. The mood was welcoming and appreciative, but some voters might appreciate the heads up.

Voting can be a very personal act, and even though the candidates a person votes for is kept secret, some people might not want any attention at all called to them at all. It should also be said that this experience is entirely anecdotal, and there have been no other reports of first-time voters receiving a standing ovation.

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In person, it was very sweet to see two new voters welcomed so joyously by their fellow citizens. If you are a first-time voter and don't want extra attention, however, it may be best to keep your voting virginity to yourself.

LOOK! Abandoned Orange County Chopper HQs in Newburgh-TLC's 'American Chopper'

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

In 2003, a father-son business reality show hit the Discovery Channel. It was called American Chopper and it followed the custom motorcycle-building business of the Teutul family out of Newburgh, NY. Paul Sr. owned the shop with sons Paul Jr. and Mikey working in the business. There was a slew of cast and characters. The center of the show wasn't just the amazing custom motorcycles built for celebrities and others, it was the volatile relationship between Sr. and Jr. The show ran for 12 seasons before the two could no longer get along. It ended up in lawsuits and the two not talking for ten-plus years. In the past few years, the business moved to Florida. This left the 61,000-square-foot headquarters for sale and abandoned. Take a look at what remained of Orange County Choppers.