Pathetic Turnout at the Polls

As of 2:30 p.m., only 44 people turned out to cast their vote in the Special Primary Election to replace Steven Tolman, who left the Senate to become the president of the AFL-CIO of Massachusetts union.

That's out of approximately 2,809 registered voters in Ward 5, Precinct 9, the section of Back Bay included in the Second Suffolk and Middlesex District - which includes all of Watertown and Belmont, as well as parts of Cambridge and Boston — including Brighton, Allston, the Fenway and the Back Bay.

The candidates, all Democrats, are Watertown State Rep. , former state firefighters union president Bob McCarthy of Watertown, Belmont State Rep. Will Brownsberger and Brighton attorney .

Election workers were disappointed, but not surprised at the low numbers.

"It depends on the type of election," said Molly Hitt.

By comparison, 526 people, or 5.91 percent of Precinct 9 cast their ballot in the September municipal election.

Poll worker John Campbell said an elderly population accounted for most of the votes in the Senate election.

"It's older by far," he said. "Fifty plus is the demo(graphic) today. People don't realize their votes count so much more coming to one of these."

Watertown, where two of the candidates are from, fared better.

As of 10:30 a.m., 111 ballots had been cast at Precinct 10 at the Watertown Police Station. At 10:45 a.m., 84 voters had filled out their ballot at Precinct 6 at Hibernian Hall. Poll workers at Precinct 10 said the turnout is similar to the special election which John Lawn won to become the 10th Middlesex state representative.

The polls are open until 8 p.m. Vote now!