Voter Turnout on Pace to be Among Lowest Ever

If the pace doesn't pick up, Town Moderator Lynn Christensen said the town is looking at potentially having one of the lowest voter turnouts ever for today's municipal and school elections.

By mid-day, fewer than 1,100 voters had cast ballots between the town's voting precincts. By all accounts, the reason is likely a mellow ballot on each side that's keeping voters away.

“The most controversial thing on either ballot is whether to keep the school budget committee and that's not a biggie anyway,” Town Moderator Lynn Christensen said at James Mastricola Upper Elementary School on Tuesday just after 1 p.m.

Christensen the turnout had been exceptionally low in the morning and was on pace to be slower than the primary, which is unusual for the town.

“Usually we have 4,000 to 6,000 voters come out for a town election, but we probably aren't going to pass 3,000 today,” Christensen said.

At 1:40 p.m., JMUES, newly combined with the former St. James Methodist Church polling location, had 809 ballots that had passed through the machines. Across town, at St. John Neumann an hour earlier, only 285 ballots had passed through the machine.

Assistant Moderator Linda Hall said it had been the slowest morning at the polls that she could remember.

“We're hoping for a surge later this afternoon, Hall said.

Outside the polls, candidates and their friends and families holding signs were upbeat despite the low foot traffic, smiling and talking with people as they trickled through the doors.

Lon Woods, who is on the ballot for one of three seats as a Town Councilor said as far as he could tell it had been lighter than normal. He couldn't say what he thought that might do for his chances.

“I don't spend a lot of time trying to analyze what's going to happen,” Woods said.

He said no matter who wins, he just wants to see people get out to vote.

“I'm one of those people who believes in the importance of exercising your right to vote,” Woods said.

Christensen said in addition to the non-controversial ballot, she had gotten the idea that there are residents who don't know that today is Election Day.

She said she was talking to someone last week who was surprised to hear voting day was approaching, despite the signs all around town.

While most towns in the state vote the second Tuesday in March, municipalities have the choice of voting in March, April or May, according to state law. Merrimack votes in April, Christensen said, to have a little longer to work on the budget.

To put the morning into perspective, Christensen said “By noon we had about 500 ballots cast. Normally we have 500 by 8 o'clock or 9 o'clock in the morning.”

The polls are open until 7 p.m. If you haven't gotten out to vote, there's still time.

Polling locations are at St. John Neumann Church at 708 Milford Road and JMUES, 26 Baboosic Lake Road.