Midday Dog Park Vote Turnout Higher Than Kids Kingdom

Tuesday’s referendum on whether to allow volunteers to has been slow as of midday, but turnout has been higher than similar referendums on individual issues in the past.

As of 12 p.m., 507 residents had cast a ballot on the question — 156 at District I, Huckleberry Hill Elementary School (HHES), and 351 at District II, Brookfield High School (BHS).

The turnout is low compared with budget referendums, which have seen anywhere from to ballots at midday, however Tuesday’s morning turnout exceeded both the Gurski and Kids Kingdom referendums.

By comparison, the vote to seek another restoration grant for the and last year’s , one less than Tuesday’s vote.

Foot traffic has been slow at BHS, according to poll moderator Paula Hopewell, with only 27 persons voting in the first hour, but “it’s been picking up.”

With a projected 3,000 dog owners in town, HHES moderator Adrienne Spera thinks there is a good chance that turnout will go up this afternoon.

“It’s been slow, turnout’s been light, but it’s been steady since 6 o’clock,” Spera said. “It has ebbed and flowed,” she added, though at any given time throughout the day “there have been more [poll] workers than voters.”

Republican Registrar of Voters Jeff Dunkerton agreed, adding that they “always see our push between 4, 5 and 6” in the afternoon on referendum days.

Voting is open at HHES and BHS until 8 p.m. tonight.

Be sure to check back with Brookfield Patch tonight after the polls close for the results as they come in. Get the results before everyone else: follow us on Twitter, “like” us on Facebook and sign up for our Breaking News email alerts.