Polling Places Quiet in Pasadena

While traveling around Pasadena to talk to residents casting their ballots for I noticed one thing was missing … voters.

“It’s been pretty slow, but we are hopeful it will pick up,” said Kathie Suite, a check-in election judge at .

One of 17 polling places in Pasadena, the church had seen just 93 voters as of 1 p.m. Tuesday, leaving one veteran judge wondering why there were so many polling locations.

“I have been a judge for 25 years in 25 different precincts,” said Louanna Moberly. “I have been in Pikesville where it was jamming—there were lines out the doors. Today is slow; why don’t we consolidate precincts and save money?”

Other election judges at the church suggested the State Board of Elections do a cost analysis of the primary elections to look specifically at the cost to run each polling site. They felt that limiting places to vote could dramatically cut down on costs.

Pasadena Elementary School, just a few minutes from the church, had 100 people as of 12:30 p.m., and chief election judge Gayle Gibson was optimistic about the turnout.

“It’s been pretty steady all morning,” said Gibson. “At five before seven we had one lady waiting outside the door.

Gibson also mentioned that she, too, was hoping for more voters later in the day.

Election judges arrive on site before 6 a.m. and stay until the voting is over, keeping many of them there until after 9 p.m.

Check-in election judge Claudia Wiseman, a teacher, said despite the long hours she enjoys being involved in the process.

“I teach in Baltimore City and you can’t tell the kids to get involved unless you are,” Wiseman said.

Seventeen-year-old Archbishop Spalding senior Ryan McFarland was the youngest election judge at Pasadena United Methodist.

“My government teacher suggested I get a job at a polling location and I thought why not,” he said.

Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, so if you haven’t voted yet you still have some time. .