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Our Communities' Challenges And Hopes: 'I Just Want People To Know The Facts'

Well over 3 million voters cast ballots this election in Massachusetts — a tally Secretary of State Bill Galvin expected will set a record turnout when all are counted.

We had reporters out at the polls in several western Massachusetts towns and cities. In addition to asking voters who they supported and why, we also asked about the biggest challenges facing their communities and the country, as well as their hopes for the future.

Melissa Croteau, Montague: I want to see a country that is more peaceful because — obviously we have a child and, you know, I want to have a world that I am not going to be absolutely terrified for her to grow up in.

Robert Croteau, Montague: I would like the United States to be more unified. I hate the whole "if you don't agree with me, you're wrong and every absolutely way." And I'd like to find some commonalities and common ground where we can start coming together as a country again.

Christopher Arsenault, Ludlow: I'm hoping that our economy can get on the rise again. And I'm hoping that people can unify a little bit better than what's going on with the country. Like, I think social media is a big, big problem with dividing our country. And also this pandemic, you know, I hope that they do find a cure for it.

Hector Stanley Abreu Mota, Holyoke: Well, hopefully we could take this lesson from this pandemic, put it to use, especially with China — everything that China has done, you know. We wouldn't even be going through this with China had done their job. So hopefully we crack down on China within the next couple of years for what they did to us.

Mike Supernaw at a polling place in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on November 3, 2020.
Credit Ben James / NEPM
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NEPM
Mike Supernaw at a polling place in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on November 3, 2020.

Milka Gutierrez, Holyoke: Be there for the people that really do need you and your help. Help them with what they need...just the things that we really do need at this moment, especially with this coronavirus going on. We need a lot of help — for a lot of people: good people, bad people, whatever, anybody.

Mike Supernaw, Holyoke: I hope it helps Holyoke out, because we really need it and our country really needs, you know. Like, we're helping people that are from other countries and stuff, and we're not even helping the homeless here.

Johnny Rodriguez, Holyoke: Honestly, I just want peace within all of us. You know, with everybody just fighting. It looks like everybody wants segregation with "all lives matter, Black lives matter." Why can't we just all be in peace? We're all — it's the United States, let's be united instead of separated. It's sad. It's something that I never saw before. It's like history repeats itself and now I'm going to live in it? It's my turn instead of my past family and all that.

Wilmarie Reyes, Holyoke: I just want people to know the facts. I want people to see how much a community can do if we work together towards a goal versus not together. Just having everyone just do things on their own, I don't think we get anywhere. And I think the American people know that, right? That's how we've gotten here.

Karen Brown, Ben James, Jill Kaufman and Sam Hudzik contributed.

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