Voting underway in closely-watched N.Y. 3rd Congressional District special election
Update 10:30 p.m. Tuesday: Democrat Tom Suozzi is the projected winner over Republican Mazi Pilip, according to the Associated Press and CBS News.
NEW YORK -- Time will tell if Tuesday's snowstorm impacted voting in the special election in New York's 3rd Congressional District.
Democrat Tom Suozzi, who previously served in Congress, and Republican Mazi Pilip, a Nassau County legislator, are locked in a tight race to replace expelled George Santos in a district that encompasses Long Island and parts of Queens. A recent poll showed Suozzi with a 4-point lead.
Mayor Eric Adams said, despite Tuesday's storm, voting sites in the city will remain open, but there are concerns the weather could impact turnout in a race that is being watched closely across the country.
Both campaigns are offering free rides to polling sites to anyone who needs one. Also, the Board of Elections said extra workers were brought in because of the snow, but some parking lots and roads were not immediately plowed.
"My concern was that voters were prevented from accessing the polls earlier today, up until about I believe 11 o'clock this morning," said Nancy Sherman, president of the League of Women Voters of Great Neck.
CBS New York spoke with voters who braved the snow to cast their ballots at Mineola Middle School on Long Island. They said the congressional seat and issues like immigration, housing and abortion were too important to stay home.
"This is like my first time voting, so I want to get it done. I spent the last three years in college, so I just wanted to do it," Jonathon Saocedo said.
"I didn't get a chance to vote early, so I decided, well, it's only one block to walk so why not," Robert Lahey said.
"We need someone good. We don't need someone like Santos," another voter added.
"They need to understand that it's something that you have to do every single time that there's an opportunity because it's how you tell the country what you want," said Douglaston resident Natalie Moore-Lopez, who brought her children.
"I think we should vote because it was such a price paid for us to vote," Great Neck voter Leon Russell said.
Watch: Political strategist Larry Levy discusses New York 3rd District special election
The candidates made a last-minute push to voters Monday night ahead of the storm.
"Regardless of what happens, the weather's going to affect the Democrats and Republicans alike. Historically, Republicans turn out earlier, Democrats turn out later," Suozzi said.
"It may snow a little, but I'm not worried. The reason for that -- voters are very engaged in this election," Pilip said.
Twenty-six poll sites were open in Queens, along with 151 on Long Island.
The Board of Elections says that as of 3 p.m., over 15,000 people had voted in Queens. We are still waiting for the number on Long Island from the Nassau County Board of Elections.
Some 500,000 people are eligible to vote in the election Tuesday.
Polls close at 9 p.m.