Don’t forget to vote today and come back here to tell us what number voter you were in your precinct. Feel free to share your choices and reasons.
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like
Don’t forget to vote today and come back here to tell us what number voter you were in your precinct. Feel free to share your choices and reasons.
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like
5-2!
First voter. Not very busy. Will the robo calls stop? Do they really help get an extra vote? I hate the robo calls – charity, political, chimney sweeps, credit cards, etc
Ward 1, precinct 3, 64th voter a little before 8:30 AM.
Only 1 person outside, aggressively handing out pamphlets. Not sure who for, as I avoided her (no offense but not interested in paper and already knew my votes)
Was voter 5 at 5-1 at about 7:05. Only one signholder outside at Emerson.
#30 at 2-3 @7:30am. No sign holders. Just 2 illegal lawn signs for a republican senate candidate? Almost thought I had the day wrong.
I was #25 at 8:15 am in Ward 8-2.
I was 61 at Hamilton – 4-2. No sign holders – that was actually refreshing.
A steady stream of voters at Burr – not a heavy turnout, but much higher turnout than other Primary Elections. Six sign holders – same folks whom I see at every election!
I was at Burr with Jane. As of 9:15, 192 had voted there (combined total for 4-1 and 4-4).
I was vote 160 at 3/2 (Peirce) at 10:20. There was a Kennedy sign holder earlier, when I drove by around 7:30. But no sign of sign holders now.
Does anyone know the proportion of Independent voters (I forget the official designation) in Newton? That would affect apparent turn-out if it’s high,
At 10:15, 254 had voted at Burr. People still dribbling in.
Meredith, about 50% of the registered voters are unenrolled (independent).
I was number 58 in 8-2 at 9:30 this morning.
I’m taking this day to plead with Village14 to raise the issue of no civics classes in the NPS (save 1 small elective at NSHS. This can be done without reference to present politics. We encourage 18 year olds to register to vote without the most basic knowledge of how our government works. This historic responsibility of “public” schools has been abandoned. Shame on the NPSS.
I am unenrolled and chose a party primary ballot, as is allowed in MA open primaries. Not sure what % of unenrolled voters do the same, but I suspect the open primary rule encourages a lot of people (like me) to remain unenrolled when they might otherwise declare a more firm membership.
194 at 12:48 at 3/3. Seems to be a steady trickle of voters. No signholders, but two Kingston for Senate signs planted in the mulch in front. (Same ones Jack saw in Newtonville?)
I was 154 at Ward 5 Precinct 1 at Emerson Community Center when I cast my vote for Bill Galvin at approximately 11-30, Within the hour, I happened by 5/3-5/4 and found the Secretary of State himself being interviewed by Channel 10. There was a worker there for Marian Ryan. I commended here for her diligence. I said nothing to the Kingston sign behind her.
The person who mentioned the need for civic education was dead on. The feelings that Bob Burke described in his household in a another thread was exactly what we should be shoting for as many households as possible.
I completely agree with Jon. The focus on high stakes testing has caused our country’s public schools to stop offering civics, since it isn’t part of that testing. All kids should get civics at least twice – once in elementary school, to give them a start understanding the world around them, and once in high school so they see the material close to when they become voters.
One thing to keep in mind as you’re voting today – Anyone who puts themselves out there to serve their community and have their name on the ballot deserves our gratitude and respect. It is not an easy thing to do.
Agreed, Jon. I would have been much better off if I took both a civics class and a finance class in high school. I went through my 20s clueless about both, but I think I’m doing better in my 30s so far…
Ward 6 – Precinct 2… voted around 8am. Didn’t catch my number but the place was (surprise) quiet. No sign holders but lots of construction materials and fencing around part of the Weeks House parking lot that made getting to the entrance a bit puzzling.
I just wish we had early voting and better mail in voting. Other states do. No matter who wins Secretary of State, let’s hope they bring our voting into the modern age. More folks would vote if we made it easier to do so.
Ward 2:1 had two others voting when I was there around 1 today. I think it was 222 on the counter…nobody out front at that time of day though I suspect there are folks outside now…
I was at the library this morning at around 9 am and it was very quiet. Met someone who told me it was mayhem at one of the schools and really difficult for voters to find parking with all the students returning. Too bad there aren’t other places that can be used. For those who can only vote in the morning it sure doesn’t seem to be an easy thing to do once it gets closer to school start time.
410 at 6:30pm at 3/3
Fignewtonville ,
please specify what changes you recommend in our current early voting and mail in voting laws. I think you may not be aware of the true state of our current voter laws.
6/2 #580
Ward 6, Precinct 4 – 646 at 7:20 PM
Ward 2, Precinct 4 685 votes at 7:59 p.m. I think there was one person still voting when I left.
Why in the world are we voting on administrative positions like registrar of deeds? I know it’s for historical reasons, but I find it ridiculous.
it could be a long night for Marilyn and nick. with 11 precincts out of 275 reporting Marilyn 1965 Nick 1951. Its a nail biter.
Nick won very well in Newton and only lost by ~400 votes in Watertown, not sure how he did in the rest of the towns but that gives me some hope here…
Any word on turnout?
Sep 2014 primaries got 11% of registered voters.
David Olson quotes here as expecting yesterday’s number to be about 18%
https://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/newton-voter-turnout-heat-malfunctions
Now might be a good time to start a thread on civic education as a means of improving voter turnout. I believe a state bill that would establish state funding for such a program passed one of the Houses of the General Court. Perhaps we could start with a discussion of its provisions.
I was the clerk at 6-3 yesterday. 703 votes cast, I think that is about 35%. We had several first time voters which was cool for a primary. And several voters dismayed that they could only chose one ballot, not so cool for the check in inspectors. Fortunately the Hyde’s AC was working or it would have been a very lone day.
I find it really sad that in so many races, the winner of the Democratic primary is the winner of the election. If we’re going to keep being a mostly one-party state, then we should adopt a system like some other states where the top two vote-getters in the primary face off in November.