Poll Workers Agree That Turnout Was Low

Democrats and Republicans usually don’t agree on much, but on this Election Day they found at least three things on which they could agree – turnout was low, voters came with their minds made up and the mild weather was appreciated.

Poll workers at the Lower West District polling place at Holy Family’s Woodhaven Campus said voter turnout was “low, very low.” They said it was mostly all the “regular” voters they see every election.

“But even all of them aren’t out,” one added.

At about 6:30 p.m., only 185 of the 1,300 registered voters in the district had voted.

One 50-year veteran poll worker named Frank (who doesn’t like to give his last name to reporters) said turnout was low because voters don’t care.

“People are so apathetic about the political system they are on strike,” he said.

Councilman John Mathieu was at his home Lower Middle #3 district at Cornwells Elementary School.

Just before 7 p.m., only 450 of the district’s 1,800 voters had turned out. Republican Committee persons George Seymour and Joanne Fields said that number is usually between 700-750.

They said there were slight “rushes” of voters when polls opened before work, at lunchtime and after work.

“But they weren’t normal rushes,” Seymour said.

Mathieu told Patch that he thought turnout was low because people are generally happy with the way the township is governed.

“They are glad we try to keep taxes low and that township services are fantastic,” he said, noting that they also likely appreciate the $300 homeowner checks from Parx Casino.

At about 7:15 p.m., turnout for the Upper West District’s polling place at Kings Library Church of the Redeemer, was only 21 percent of 1,435 registered voters.

Democratic committee person Marcia Paullin and Republican committee person Tom Risich agreed that the few voters who showed up already had their minds made up.

“You can tell by how they approach the polling place when you offer them information,” Risich said.

“Most of them said ‘no thank you’ and kept walking,” Paullin added.

She said there was a slight line of people before the polls opened at 7 a.m.

Risich said some of them were people on their way to work, but most were local seniors trying to be the first to cast a ballot.

“There was also a big backup of three to four voters at lunchtime,” Risich said with a smile at the low turnout.

Besides their acknowledgement of low voter turnout and pre-election decisions, Risich and Paullin were able to agree on one other thing about Election Day.

“We were all delighted with the weather,” Paullin said.

With high daytime temperatures near 70 degrees and a pleasantly cool evening, Risich said today was unusual.

“It’s usually very cold for the November elections and often rains for the May primaries,” he said.

When Patch left the Kings Library polling place at 7:30 p.m., Risich and Paullin were yanking the numerous political signs from the ground.

They were ready for the polls to close at 8 p.m. and to learn the results of the election in which very few township residents cared to vote.