A Very Sunny Election Day

A Very Sunny Election Day

By Karena Garrity

The polls opened at 6 a.m. at the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company Station #1 on Saybrook Road with town residents waiting outside ready to cast their votes. By late morning there had been a steady flow of approximately 100 voters per hour at this voting location, all with smiles and handshakes glad to see one another as well as some of the candidates.

With school out for the day, several families in town made voting a family event, teaching the little ones what it means to patriotic, American and how important the right to vote is and more importantly to use that right.

“They asked me this morning ‘how old do you have to be to vote’ so this definitely gets them excited to be able to vote when they can,” said Maresa Pray who brought her two sons Matthew and Jackson to accompany her to the polls this year.

They were greeted on their way in by Democratic First Selectman Peter Arseneault and selectman candidate Sean Donlan.

“It has been very busy here today and I am extremely excited about the turnout,” said Arseneault with a smile. He added “Who could ask for a better day, the weather is perfect and we get to greet the residents of Haddam while taking in this fantastic view. It is a spectacular day to come out and exercise your right to vote. A lot of people don’t have that right; we do so we should use it!”

Echoing those sentiments Debi Friedlander was as excited to see her friends and neighbors as she was to cast her vote. “No matter how you vote, it is important to do so. It is American and patriotic.”

By 11:45 a.m. approximately 32 percent of the residents in town had gotten out to vote at this location, which is a great number considering the “noon whistle” hadn’t even been sounded yet and the afternoon and evening rush had not yet hit.

“I think the weather has helped a lot, it is a great day to get out,” said assistant registrar of voters Kathy Ely. “It really is great to see everyone, hear the laughter and see the smiles. It seems as though everyone is having a wonderful time.”

In addition to the voters who were able to get the polls this year, several absentee ballots were cast as well, explained assistant registrar of voters Jane Sibley.

“People are really caring about the election this year so they made sure they got their vote in any way they could,” she explained. “I think it helped that the candidates got out around town, at the farmers markets and such letting people know what was going on.”

Haddam  resident and Central Connecticut State University student Jim Drexler was getting some on hands learning today as he volunteered to help out at the polling site as part of his Civic Engagement and Elections class at college.

“The idea is to get college students more involved in the voting process. I think it is great and I think that more young people need to be encouraged to get out and vote because we need to understand our political system so we can participate in it.”

All in all things are going well and voter turnout numbers are high so far in Haddam. Hopes are that Mother Nature keeps the temperature high and the sun shining so even more voters get themselves to the polls to ensure that their voice is heard in this election. Polls close this evening at 8 p.m.