The U.S. presidential election is one week away, and residents of Ogdensburg, N.
Y., a small port city along the St. Lawrence Seaway across the border from eastern Ontario, are preparing to make their voices heard.
The race is tight between former president Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, with many polls suggesting a close outcome. Across the United States, more than 50 million have already cast their ballot, a record in many states. In this community of about 10,000 residents, politics may be divisive, but a group of residents choose to avoid the subject, particularly on the pickleball court.
"We come out and play pickleball every morning for two hours. We're just a group of friends, retired friends, and this is our exercise, and we call it coffee club without the coffee," says Becky Akins, one of the regular players. "We talk about our children, our grandchildren, about everything except politics and that's how we remain such good friends.
" But it doesn't mean some residents aren't clear about who they’re supporting. Early voting has opened and on Tuesday, Dora McIntosh, along with Donna and Keith Edick, came to finalize their electoral decision. "I'm for Trump," said McIntosh, who like her friends, say the same.
"He [Trump] produces what he says, he brings forth what his mouth opens and says what he does," said Donna. "This place right now in the last four years has gone right down the tubes. We were starting to feel like true Americans for those fo.
