Run-off elections for the East and Estates sections of Garden City kicked off late Tuesday afternoon with many voters heading out to the polls early.

Lines started before the 4:30 p.m. start time at Stratford School, where Estates residents waited to cast their ballot for incumbent trustee Brian Daughney or challenger Michele Harrington. Voters gathered at Stewart School to vote in the race of incumbent trustee Nick Episcopia against challenger Jon Segerdahl.

Priscilla Bonnie, a resident in the Estates section, said that the St. Paul’s issue was “absolutely” the deciding factor in casting her vote.

“I don’t want anymore money put into St. Paul’s,” she said. “I mean we voted on this many times and I think unfortunately it is falling apart. That is just my opinion.”

Harrington said that she was excited for the run-off election, no matter which way it went. “I think it is good to get everybody on top of what the issues are and get people out,” she said. “That is what the country is about.”

Harrington explained that she had issues with her campaign postcards, which were delivered to Stewart Manor – not the Estates section of Garden City. Everything was finalized last Monday and was to be mailed on Thursday by a printer recommended by the village, she added.

“They were supposed to get there on Saturday. They didn’t end up getting there on Saturday,” she said, noting that she was first told they were sent to Hicksville and then to Melville. “We were eventually told yesterday that they were all mailed to Stewart Manor by accident somehow.”

At Stewart School, trustee Episcopia said that he is “confident” about the run-off and that he “certainly hopes” that he wins. He extended gratitude towards all of the people who helped and backed his campaign.

“Once again, I really wanted to thank all of the people who worked for us,” he said. “There are so many I can’t name them. No matter what happens, Dorothy and I are really blessed to have that many people who believe we can do a job for them. And that is what you are doing. As we said in the election, it is not about any people, but it is what you stand for and the job you are trying to do.

A resident from the East, who wished to remain anonymous, said she hoped a lot of people would come out Tuesday evening to vote. She added that it “is sad that some of the candidates do attack each other.”

“It is a sad state of the world right now that people are using attack ads in the papers and in the editorial pages of the paper,” the resident said. “And it has been done. It is just sad. You just highlight what you are doing well and go with that instead of attacking others.”