The Berkshire Atheneum in the heart of downtown Pittsfield doubles as the city’s Ward 5 polling location. Among the thin trickle of residents dodging raindrops on the way to vote was Meghan Bresnahan, who summed up the emotion of the day.
“I mean, our country is kind of a dumpster fire right now," said Bresnahan. "So, anything, I think, that we can make it better for the citizens, the better off we're going to be.”
She said her ballot was being cast in the name of harm reduction, not out of excitement.
“I think that because it's so heated and because we're really operating under the lesser of two evils principle right now that more voices need to be heard,” she told WAMC.
Despite her own lack of enthusiasm, Bresnahan said she still felt the need to vote in the primary.
“It's getting your voice heard, in that we're not just going to settle for the status quo for what has been happening, and this is the only way to make change happen,” she said.
Tim Houghtlin, a Republican, came to the polls with Wanda Lewis, an Independent. Houghtlin was voting for former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as a protest vote against ex-President Donald Trump.
“I would have picked Chris Christie, but obviously, he's dropped out, so,” he told WAMC.
He attributes the increasingly bitter nature of American politics to Trump’s combative style.
“The downward play of our entire moral system," said Houghtlin. "Everybody just seems so at each other's throat, there's no congeniality any longer, people are no longer being polite, friendly. There's no civility left in Congress.”
It’s not the first time Houghtlin has taken an “anyone but Trump” approach at the ballot box — even when it meant gritting his teeth back in 2016.
“It killed me to vote for Miss Hillary Clinton, but I actually voted for Miss Hillary Clinton the first time- Which was horrible for me, it was the worst thing, but she would have been a better president,” he told WAMC.
The lifelong Republican views Trump as an existential crisis.
“We need to decide if we're going to have a Republican Party or a MAGA party, because that's what it’s become, MAGA," said Houghtlin. "It's no longer Republicans.”
Lewis agrees the election is once again all about Trump.
“I just want it to be over and I want somebody good to be in place,” she explained.
WAMC asked her to identify what was at stake in the vote.
“Our country, and how it's going to survive with a dictator in it," answered Lewis.
Democrat Diane Shaheen said she thought President Joe Biden is doing a great job.
“I think he's doing good things for students, I think he's doing good things for immigrants, I think he's doing- You know, I don't know what to say about these wars, they’re not in my wheelhouse," she told WAMC. "I just don't understand how we can be in this situation at this time of our lives. I’m thinking, my gosh, I can't wait. I don't think we want to go backwards. I think that- I don't think we need to be hatemongers anymore. I don't think we need to have any repeats of bad behavior.”
She says her brother, who personally knows Trump, supports him.
SHAHEEN: He has a different outlook than I do. I see a male who doesn't like women. I don't know what- That's mean to say. But um, you know, but I'm confused by everything. Actually. I'm really confused. I- And I've been voting for a long time as long as I can remember.”
WAMC: So this one feels different?
SHAHEEN: This one feels like- Wow, I don't know. They better get out and vote. People should vote! I think- I'm stunned. I'm stunned! I can't get away with bad stuff and say, oh, hey, guess what? I used to be a private housekeeper, but it doesn't matter that I stole a Picasso because I was in the house more than the owner. I mean, what do you say? What do you say to somebody who thinks it's okay to destroy other people's lives?
Both Biden and Trump cruised to victories in their respective primaries, and Haley dropped out Wednesday morning. The general election is November 5th.
