In Early Turnout, de Blasio Voters Pack Polling Sites

This article was written by Matthew Hampton. Nathan Duke contributed reporting.

In the early going, things seem to be right on track for Bill de Blasio in the race for City Hall. 

Voters across the city have turned out — heavier in some places than in others.

De Blasio voted in Park Slope early amid a throng of reporters. 

"It's an extraordinary moment for me and my family personally," he said. "It's been a very, very long journey. To get to this morning at our polling site in our neighborhood is an incredible, emotional moment."

In Queens, the voters were also heading de Blasio's way with some saying they thought 2013 was the Democrats' year in New York City.

"I don't always vote the party line, but I did this time because the Democrats offered better candidates," said Warren Schreiber of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance in northeast Queens. "It's important to have different voices, but it's also good to vote for someone in the majority in terms of services for the district. I think Lhota is a bright man and would have done a good job, but I think de Blasio is the right man for the job right now."

Things aren't going smoothly everywhere. There have been reports of lines in Brooklyn and at least once instance of a polling site struggling to keep its machines operational. 

Thomas and Annadeen Diggs, long-time Bed-Stuy residents, were a little upset with the process after they said all three machines at their polling place — Carter Woodson Elementary — broke down. Other voters leaving the school confirmed the machines had stopped working. 

"They changed our polling place at the last minute," Annadeen said, clearly frustrated. "But we're voting no matter what." Both said they voted for de Blasio on provisional ballots and that rising rent in the community was far and away their biggest issue. 

Have you voted yet? Let us know what you think of the day so far in the comments.