Susan B. Anthony’s Legacy Brings Heavy Turnout at New Rochester Polling Site

The start of early voting this past weekend saw long lines at many of the 17 polling sites around Monroe County.

One of the busiest polls in Rochester has a particular historic significance.

The Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in the city’s southwest neighborhood is a polling location for the first time.

Some people, like the museum’s President and CEO Deborah Hughes, probably feel that designation was a long time coming, seeing as how Anthony is a key figure in the history of the fight to allow women to vote.

In fact, the suffrage movement leader was arrested at her Madison Street home in 1872 because she cast a ballot in an election. Hughes said that history makes voting at the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House something special.

“To come here to this neighborhood and to be at this space that was the headquarters the National American Woman Suffrage Association, it just adds to that whole experience of exercising our power of voting,” said Hughes.

Among the early voters on Sunday at the Susan B. Anthony House was Jessica Foley, who is from the Churchville-Chili area.

“I really wanted to make sure that I came here, because it's just so important to have that right, as well as just understand the importance of being a contributing member of our country and of our society, to be able to contribute that to the election this year,” Foley said.

Mike Santini, another visitor and voter from the Rochester area, said he needed to vote early in any case due to his schedule, but he was particularly pleased he could cast a ballot at such a historic location.

It’s very humbling,” said Santini. “She was an amazing part of our history, and our positive history of this country and it’s quite humbling to be here, for sure.”

Hughes said they’ve wanted to have the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House designated as a polling place for quite some time, and after making the necessary modifications to the carriage house where the voting is actually happening, they were able to accomplish that this year.

For more information on early voting in the Rochester area check out the website of the Monroe County Board of Elections.

This article was originally published on WAMC.