New York Today: Teachable Moment

Neal Boenzi/The New York Times The magical place where gronwups go to vote.

Across the city, children go back to school today. They’ll see old friends and new teachers, lockers and blackboards.

But what are those big gray metal things?

Those are old-style voting machines, children.

On Tuesday, grownups will file into them to vote in primaries for mayor, comptroller and other offices.

(They will use lever machines because officials were concerned that new scanning ones could not handle primaries followed by runoffs.)

“The machines are in the building,” said Ronald Landry, a teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School on the Upper East Side. “The kids sometimes ask about that.”

“We explain that even though it’s not the general election, it’s when the political parties pick,” Mr. Landry said.

At Bronx High School of Science, teachers might question students about which candidates are running, said David Colchamiro, an assistant principal.

He added: “You’ll get some blank stares, and that becomes kind of a nice ice-breaker for fact that there is going to be a primary.”

Here’s what else you need to know for this election eve Monday.

WEATHER

Perfect back-to-school weather: sunny with a high of 76, though it will cloud over in the evening.

TRANSIT & TRAFFIC

- Mass Transit:: O.K. so far. Click for latest M.T.A. status.

- Roads:: No major delays. Click for traffic map or radio report on the 1s.

Alternate-side parking is in effect.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

- The last Democratic poll, possibly, of the primary comes out at 8 a.m.

- Christine C. Quinn greets parents at three schools and hits the airwaves: on WCBS-AM (880) at 8:30 a.m., MSNBC at 11 a.m., and WOR-AM (710) at noon.

- William C. Thompson Jr. embarks on a 24-hour marathon, meeting transit workers in Coney Island, firefighters in the Bronx and chocolate-factory workers in Rockaway Beach, among others.

- The Republican front-runners, Joseph J. Lhota and John A. Catsimatidis, visit the Mount Loretto Friendship Club in Staten Island, though not at the same time.

- In the comptroller’s race, Scott M. Stringer is on Hot 97 at 10 a.m. and attends a picnic for the elderly in Brooklyn.

- In the public advocate race, Daniel Squadron campaigns with Senator Charles E. Schumer.

COMING UP TODAY

- Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly speaks about terrorism at a Council on Foreign Relations breakfast.

- Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan and many more show today at Fashion Week. [See Live Stream]

- Attention drivers: new speed cameras installed near schools go into effect.

- Start your day with a broken obelisk: The Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture garden is free, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

- How will you stay in shape without children to chase all day? The city offers dozens of free fitness classes in the parks. Here’s the schedule.

- Time to get those winter crops in the ground: the parks department offers a workshop on fall planting at 49 Chambers Street near City Hall. 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. [Free, R.S.V.P. requested]

- Two cartoonists, Anne Emond and Josh Bayer, explain how they do it at the NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium at the New School at 7 p.m. [Free]

- A singing, dancing “Broadway Blessing” service at 7 p.m. at the Little Church Around the Corner on 29th Street marks the start of the new theater season. [Free]

- The brief Bryant Park square-dancing season kicks off, so promenade while ye may, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. [Free]

IN THE NEWS

- Bill de Blasio maintains a commanding lead in a poll released Sunday. [Wall Street Journal]

- Mr. Lhota and Mr. Catsimatidis begged to differ on issues large (Syria) and small (kittens on  subway tracks) at their final debate. [New York Times]

- New York City Opera, strapped for cash, might cancel most of its season. [New York Times]

- The governor is not endorsing anyone in the primaries for mayor or comptroller. [Daily Intel]

- The city seized a record 1,000 unlicensed cabs last month. [New York Post]

- Strange facial hairdos abounded at the Coney Island Beard and Mustache Competition. [Gothamist]

- Serena Williams beat Victoria Azarenka to win her fifth United States Open.

- Suddenly, it’s football season. Jets beat Bucs 18-17. Giants lose to Cowboys, 36-31.

- In baseball, Yanks beat Red Sox 4-3. Mets beat Indians 2-1.

Nicole Higgins DeSmet contributed reporting.

New York Today is a morning roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till about noon.

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