Election Day in Plainview: What You Need to Know

Despite all that Plainview has endured this past week, it is altogether fitting that the American general election will go on as scheduled today.

Voters go to the polls Tuesday across the United States to choose a president. Plainview voters will help decide local, state and federal political races, a political landscape that all but disappeared following the horrific super-storm Sandy.

Here's what you need to know today:

Schools:

• Plainview's secondary schools, the high school and both middle schools are open on a 90-minute delayed schedule. All the elementary schools are closed to students Tuesday.

Elections:

Votes will decide the 2012 race for the White House today, whether to give Democratic President Barack Obama another four years or elect Republican Mitt Romney.

A wide range of state and local races are also to be decided. See Patch's election guide here for a complete understanding of today's state and federal elections. Patch will have complete coverage today, tonight and into tomorrow.

Polling Places:

Because of power outages remaining at some local elementary schools, polling places have been changed:

• If you usually vote at Mattlin Middle School or Jamaica Avenue, you should vote at the Mid Island Y JCC.at Manetto Hill Road and Washington Avenue.
• If you usually vote at Fern Place Elementary School, you should vote at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School's Auxiliary Gym.
• If you usually vote at Parkway Elementary School, you should vote at the at Manetto Hill Road just north of Old Country Road.
• If you usually vote at Old Bethpage Elementary School, you will still be able to vote there. The school is closed but the polling place will be open.

Power outages:

LIPA's outage map was inoperable early Tuesday morning, so an update was not possible. Its website said it expects to have 90 percent of its customers restored to power by Wednesday.

On Monday, LIPA reported that more than 3,000 Plainview customers were without power.

The High School and Mattlin Middle School were restored on Monday, and LIPA crews were spotted around town, particularly along Manetto Hill. Many Patch readers report they are still without power.

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If you're cold:

There's plenty of places to stay warm.

• Like so many others in Plainview's faith community, Rabbi Steven Conn, spiritual leader of the Plainview Jewish Center, is welcoming people to the temple to charge their batteries and meet new friends.
• The Library is open.
• More and more businesses are opening. The latest shopping plaza to regain power is the Woodbury Plaza.

Getting around town and beyond:

• The LIRR is crowded, but running near normal.
• NICE buses are running.
• Plainview's roadways are noticeably better, particularly in the last few days. Chain saws are humming all over town and giant trees felled by the hurricane are being removed.

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