US voters bring everyday worries to ballot box

When Rafael Martinez cast his ballot in New York, his concerns were close to home: the cost of living, healthcare and getting his family through rising prices.

"Honestly, it's been just about affordability and just getting my family through all these things," said Martinez, 43, of the Bronx.

As voters cast ballots in Tuesday's midterm elections, those interviewed by China Daily in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area spoke about prices they wanted brought down, services they wanted improved and a government they wanted to pay more attention to their lives.

For Maryanne Robinson, 60, a Bay Area resident, cheaper gasoline alone would not be enough.

"I think we need to see, not just the price of gas come down, but the price of goods as well," she said.

The interviews reflected individual views in the two regions, with criticism of the administration running through the conversations. Their concerns about household expenses echoed a national KFF poll conducted Sept 16-21.

The poll found six in 10 registered voters worried about affording healthcare, similar shares worried about gasoline and other transportation costs, and 52 percent expressed concern about affording food.

In Washington state, Torrance, who gave only his first name, told China Daily a few days ahead of Tuesday's elections that it cost him considerably more to fill a small car's gas tank now.

"My little Honda that I used to drive used to be only 40 bucks to fill up, now it's like 60 to 80," he said.

He blamed the Iran war and wanted greater attention paid to domestic problems than international affairs.

Robinson, a Canadian American, also criticized tariffs, particularly those on Canadian goods. "I'm really not happy about the tariffs," she said, "so I'd like to see that turned around as well."

Fellow Bay Area resident Rick Schaefer, 72, put healthcare first when asked about his biggest concern. He votes every year, he said, and regarded this election as particularly significant because it could change the balance of power in Washington.

Martinez also spoke about healthcare and its effects on communities. Asked about the government's performance, he said he felt its attention was directed toward corporate interests and affairs elsewhere rather than people at home.

He hoped the election would bring a less chaotic political environment.

"You just want to see some normalcy in politics again," he said.

For Gordon Curtis, 76, the concerns he brought to the election were less about what he could afford. To him, addressing issues in the judicial system and governing processes is more urgent.

Curtis grew up in Southern California and has lived in New York City since 1979. Its diversity was the primary reason he moved there, he said, describing his affection for people coming from other countries to live together.

"We are a nation of immigrants," he said. "I can cope with the rises in prices and all that. That matters to me less than the integrity of our judicial system, our governing processes which are being trampled underfoot."

Immigration enforcement was among the concerns of Darrin Stewart, 34, of Brooklyn.

Alongside his frustration with rising costs, he described his opposition to immigration raids.

"My big concerns are ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raiding and terrorizing our communities," he said.

Schaefer also raised corruption as a growing concern and wanted corporate money removed from elections. His dissatisfaction with the electoral system centered on money and its influence.

"I do not like all the money in politics. I think the elections are being bought," he said.

For Charles Hyder, 79, also from New York, casting a ballot did not mean he expected much to change.

When asked how he predicted the elections to turn out, he said, "In the middle."

"I don't think it's going to go very far either way. I believe that for the most part, the status quo will hold. I don't see a lot of advancement," he explained.

Mingmei Li in San Francisco, Belinda Robinson and Hao Dong in New York contributed to this story.