TE Votes: Polling the Polls

After the polls closed at 8 p.m., but before the numbers could even start pouring in, there was consensus on at least one thing Tuesday. The weather for this November election was beautiful.

Poll workers reported highs of about 35% of registered voters in the precincts came out to cast their ballots in Tredyffrin Township. And while it seemed that the turnout was steady there were few, if any voters who wanted to talk about the specifics of their candidate choices.

Here's what Patch found during visits to several polling places during the course of the afternoon and evening:

•At Kris Graham, a Republican candidate who won her race for T/E School Board, was outside shaking hands and introducing herself to voters.

“It’s been gratifying,” said Graham. “The weather has been fabulous. The turnout has been steady. The candidates have been enthusiastic and it’s been part of the American dream.”

The number of voters who used the electronic ballots were record braking at this polling location, with nearly 25 electronic ballots cast by late afternoon.

“We’re a lot more lenient,” said one campaigner who admitted to suggesting the electronic polls to people when the booths filled up.  

Chester County policy specifies that the poll workers not suggest the electronic format, but stick to the paper ballots instead.

From the days of levers, to punch cards (and Florida's dangling chadds) to the current fill in the circle, and the new electronic ballots, volunteers at St. Matthews have seen the evolution of voting in Tredyffrin since the 60’s.

•At the the poll workers noticed how much busier it was than during the primary, but the number of voters who used the electronic voting machines stay flat.

•At the on N. Valley Forge Road, poll worker Linda Scavello reported a “slow and steady” day. In the decade since she began volunteering to work the polls in Tredyffrin, the only thing that she’s seen change is the number of registered Democrats have been on the rise.

•At the Tuesday evening, there was a steady stream of cars coming and going. Pollsters reported a 30-35% turnout, none of which used the electronic ballots.

But a trend noticed by one poll worker showed about 30% of those who turned out were left handed. The information collected was unscientific, of course.

•At , hundreds of signs lined the entrance off of Pugh Road; as many signs as colors of the fall foliage. Judge of Elections, Linda Glasgow, said there was about a 35% turnout for the day and it was “nice and steady.”

• was the quietest and darkest of the polling locations Patch visited in Tredyffrin during the waning hours of the balloting. About 25% of the 440 registered voters came out to cast their ballot.

Poll workers told Patch they believe a high number in local renters, and an infrequently updated list of residents from the County has much to do with the low numbers.

However, they were glad to see that there weren’t any mistakes, equipment malfunctions or some of the fighting that has comes in presidential election years.

•At nearly 300 of the 839 registered voters turned out.

The longer, double sided ballot was taking much longer to complete and the judge of elections noticed a definite lack in flare, stickers, or partisan apparel, compared to presidential election years.

Voters at Del Chevrolet were out to cast their vote, for one reason or another. Some were doing their civic duty. Others like Max Walk said they were reacting to family pressure, and “the upcoming 2012 elections”.

Others voted to exercise a most basic american right. “I want to have a say,” said a voter who identified himself as X-hail Griswold, “I want my voice to be heard.”

Not everyone who voted remembered it was election day at first. Thanks to a last minute telephone call and even an online reminder, at least two more Tredyffrin Township voters told Patch they were prompted to cast their vote.

•At l, across the street from the , poll workers who were packing up shortly after 8 p.m. told Patch that 475 people, or about 26% of registered voters had cast a ballot between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m..

•At the , 262 of 1100 registered voters turned out to cast ballots. Patch caught up with Easttown T/E School Board incumbent Republican Pete Motel (who won the precinct with 162 votes) as he checked the printout of vote results posted on the library front window around 9 p.m.. Motel, who won re-election, has been on the T/E School Board since 1999. He a  told Patch he was "pleased" with the turnout which he credited in part to the warm, sunny autumn weather.

Motel, like most candidates on any election day, spent Tuesday going from polling place to polling place. His comments reflected a sentiment Patch heard from both Republican and Democrat candidates regardless of whether they were running for re-election or for the first time. "The nice thing about being out on Election Day is you meet a lot of great people," Motel said.

That is something Patch heard from candidates from both sides throughout the evening as the votes were being counted.

Editor's Note: Voter turnout numbers reported in this story were based on first-hand accounts of poll workers and candidates as reported to Patch before final and official numbers were available. While TE Patch makes every effort to accurately report and reflect the turnout at each polling place we visited, the turnout numbers reported in this story and not the final, official turnout tallies.