Turnout 'Disappointing' For State Primaries

Sparse voter turnout had poll workers polishing their small talk and catching up on reading today, but the voters who did show up were enjoying themselves.

"It's been basically quiet," said Je'Lesia Jones, poll worker at the Wellesley Free Library, the Precinct G polling place, who said voter activity this time around didn't compare favorably to the race between Richard Ross and Peter Smulowitz for state senate earlier this year. "It's a lot quieter," Jones said. There were only about 132 voters by 1 p.m. at the library.

One noteworthy event, she said, happened when a woman realized there was no one from one party for a particular primary race. "She stormed out," Jones said. 

"I wouldn't call it robust," said Town Clerk Kathleen Nagle, when asked how the turnout at the polls was going at about 1:15 p.m.  At each polling spot, the number of citizens casting votes was well under 200 at every polling spot at just before noon. With about 3,500 registered voters in each precinct, she said, the turnout for the day was looking "disappointing."

At Dana Hall's Shipley Center at 142 Grove St., turnout was busier than Warden Denis Viechnicki had expected. This is the first time the building has been used as the polling place for Precinct F, so his expectations for turnout weren't that grand. However, the voters who did show up seemed to like visiting the spot to cast their ballots. "This is sort of a dry run," in advance of a busier race, he said. About 131 voters had handed in their ballots there by 1:35 p.m. 

Outside Whole Foods on Washington Street, Ilyse and Charles Rudnick, primary challenger to Sen. Cynthia Creem, were holding signs and shaking hands at about 2:30 p.m. "It's great. It's been a terrific day," said Rudnick, who said he'd been visiting areas throughout Brookline, Newton and Wellesley during the day.

At Schofield School, the Precinct D polling place Warden Bob White reported there had been about 30 people coming in an hour throughout the day, with 243 voters counted by about 3 p.m. "This is the lowest turnout we've had in several years," White said. He acknowledged that Schofield's numbers might be better than others, but he raised a dog-eared paperback to indicate that there were long stretches of waiting around, even here. "I think we're beating everybody else," he said, but his smile was strained. "This is bad."

Nonetheless, the voters who did show up were enthusiastic.

"I think it's important to make a decision,"said Mike Forte, who visited Schofield with his wife, Betty. The two have lived in Wellesley for 62 years, and both said they were happy to vote for their intended representatives. "I hope they represent us rather than the special interests," said Betty.

Some parents brought their kids along for a look at the voting process. Julie Nikolewski and her son Luca, 4, paid a visit to Schofield for the primary, as did Ann-Mara Lanza and her son, Nate, 10. "I feel its important to vote," said Ann-Mara.