Lower Southampton Voter Turnout 'Light' Election Day

Despite the county commissioner and Neshaminy School Board races, voter turnout in Lower Southampton was described by many poll workers light, fair and slow Tuesday.

Poll workers at the said that they had about the same amount of voters Tuesday as . In that poll location, the Judge of Elections Matthew Kline was expecting to have about 30 percent voter turnout.

Clerk Rose Marie McCafferty said that she thought the race drawing residents out to vote was that of  because of the contract impasse.

At , Judge of Elections Timothy Stockslager stated that turnout had been miserable.

"It's just an off year election," Stockslager said of low voter turnout.

Machine Inspector Richard Pipito echoed Stockslager by stating that voter turnout was not "very good" and that people have possibily forgotten how important local elections are.

Township Supervisor Joseph McFadden was making his rounds to and reported that voter turnout across the township was light.

Though it's an off year election, McFadden said that people don't recognize the importance of a municipal election, which he said have the "most impact on [residents'] day-to-day lives."

State Representative Frank Farry was traveling to polling places across the 142nd Legislative District Tuesday and stated that voter turnout had been "generally light" and that it would be lucky to get about 25 percent voter turnout.

According to Farry, local elections are important because they make a direct impact on residents. The county, township or borough governments and school boards dictate how much residents pay in property taxes.

Township Supervisors Chairman John McMenamin, who was staked out at , said that voter turnout was "not heavy, not light, but steady." He stated that "in politics, everything is local" and that it affects residents' lives the most.

"The school board, local township and county...that's your tax base that's going to cost you the most money and affect your quality of life," McMenamin said.