Polls in Newton are open until 8 p.m. Get out there and vote, then come back and share your observations.
Election Day 2019: Share your observations here
by village14 | Nov 5, 2019 | Newton | 51 comments
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Voter 60 at 3/2 (Peirce Elementary) at 8:15. Bit more people than usual at this time, which was good to see. Five sign holders out front and a well-stocked bake sale table inside.
Wonderful day to be outside the Ward School, enjoying the great before-school energy. Holding a sign for Alicia Bowman.
But. There. Are. Too. Many. Cars.
So incredibly sad that we accept this as normal.
1/3 at Bigelow. Very quiet, I was voter 51 for my precinct.
#74 at 6/2. Got accosted by some overly aggressive campaigners outside the polling site. I don’t know for what candidates. I gave them a piece of my mind, then complained to the poll workers inside. I think the officer on site went out and had a heart-to-heart with the group. When I got out of the polling station they’d moved further away and I could leave in peace. Campaign signage too close to the site was gone.
Hold a sign? Great! Talk to people if they approach you? Sure! To everyone who does this work on local elections regardless of candidate, thank you for your volunteering and your public service! But please DON’T harass people who just want to enter the polling station and cast their vote, no matter how noble your cause. That’s over the line.
Harrumph. I’ve become a grumpy old man before my time.
#137 at 8:50 a.m. at 5/2. That seems higher than usual for this location for a off year. And I was proud to write in Bob Burke for Highlands Area Council, the only public endorsement I’ve made this year.
Voter #20 at 7:15 at the library. Folks collecting signatures for ranked choice voting.
Voter #8 (but first actual voter) at 5-1 this morning at 7am. Might also have written myself in for Area Council.
Voter #30 at 2-2 at 7:40 this morning. Things were quiet when I arrived but it looked like it was picking up as I left. Ranked Choice Voting people were also collecting signatures, I am looking forward to seeing it on the ballot!
Voter #128 at 3/2 (Peirce) at 10:02 – the number includes early/absentee voters already entered into system. The number seems low to me. I was one of the 5 sign holders out front from 7 to 9 and we saw very little foot traffic during that typical high voting period. – certainly no where near 60 people as one might assume given Dan Foley’s voter # at 8:15. I suspect his # included absentee/early voting already entered in the system.
Great to see the younger generation involved. While I was sign-holding, Carolina Ventura brought her two kids in to help her vote and Jennifer Bentley had her daughter holding signs (along with mom).
Voter 143 at 3-3 around 10am.
Voter # 50 at 9:40 am – Ward 8 pt 4 Shuman Community Center.
Poor turnout.
I was voter #105 at Emerson (5/1) at 9 AM. Had a great few hours with the half dozen jovial sign holders from various campaigns.
Much as I do enjoy election day I have to raise my bi-annual whine – where are my baked goods?
Up until I moved to Newton 10 years ago baked goods were my favorite part of voting day – with a bake sale at every voting place I’ve ever lived at up til now. Any candidate that pledges to establish a bake sale at the Emerson voting place will win my grateful vote next time around.
Voted a little bit ago. Lots of older folks voting and talking about grandkids. Vote people!!!!
Also a shout out to the nice election officials who always smile when I forget my street name and my own name and what letter they start with. Seriously thank you to all of them for running the elections. Volunteer position, no?
Where are my baked goods!?!?
Jerry and Fig: Next election, make a note to stop at Garden Remedies for a some baked treats before heading to the polls. It will certainly make the long wait for results a little more interesting.
Greg,
Shhhh. Fig is sleeping.
Didn’t you read his comment?
Thank you Greg for the write in vote. my slogan— a chicken in every pot and a bake sale in every precinct.
@Anne Larner. I think a lot of voters enter Peirce from the back door, whereas the sign holders are all out front. I suppose you gotta pick a spot. But this could explain why it didn’t look like as many people.
One other point just popped into my head. I thought it was odd that ballot is arranged by Councilor at Large, School Committee then Ward. I suppose it’s alphabetical by type of position. But it split the Councilors, with Ward coming after School Committee.
#158 at 5/1 around 10:30.
Voter #88 in 1/3 (Bigelow Middle School) at 9:05 a.m. after holding signs outside from 7-9 a.m.
The city ballot seems to be designed for ease of word processing rather than ease of use by the voters.
If you are preparing 8 distinct ward ballots, it is easiest to make a template with the city wide choices first and then make 8 variations with the ward councilor choices last.
However, I think the city should rethink how it prepares the ballot and put the ward councilor choices right after the 8 at large councilor races and right before the school committee races.
Also, after voting I’m struck again about what a great building the Newtonville Senior Center is. If we ever do NewCal, that’s going to be my mission in life to find it a good replacement use. I’m thinking New Art Center extension location and gallery/meeting space for rent and events. We could use more non-profit meeting space in Newton that can be rented for free or nominal cost. Black box theatre?
Ok, last post until tonight. Not feeling well and going to go take a nap. Can elections cause the flu?
@Dan and @Richard – if I recall correctly, the placement of the Ward Councilor race at the end of the ballot (vs. after the at large councilor races) is due to a state requirement that ward-only races appear after all city-wide races (regardless of whether they are for city council or school committee). So it’s outside of Newton’s control, but I’m with you that the more logical placement would be after the at large council races.
I was voter #33 at 7:20 this morning 6-4 (Mason-Rice). My volunteer days started at the Mason-Rice PTO bake sale which is now a 5th grade fundraiser and it was AWESOME!
Voter #180 at 8/3 (Countryside) at 11:30 a.m. I was pleased to see the steady stream of voters.
Jerry and Fig: Countryside has tables full of baked goods!
Extra credit and a recycling award to the Rena Getz campaign for this ingenious contraption
@Alicia and @Gail – please, no baked goods gloating
Ward, too.
@Jerry, Pretty sure Countryside will accept out-of-precinct shoppers.
Now the cleanup begins
So I couldn’t vote today because I didn’t know that my move within Newtonville, all of .7 miles, in April of this year meant I was required to re-register to vote at my new location. I thought I could do that at the voting location.
This will be the only election, local or national, I haven’t voted in since I turned 18 and I’m 71. I’m so mad at myself.
No baked goods for me.
I was voter 250 at 11:10 am, Ward 5 Pct 4 (Waban Library). I am fairly sure that that number is high for that time, especially in this non-Mayoral Election year. I hope the cold and drizzle don’t discourage the voters. After all, this year they really can have an effect on the path the City will take!
@Marti Bowen – Oooh
I was voter #96 at 4/3 (Williams School) at around 11:45 am. Not much activity at the polling station. Hopefully, people will flow in later in the day.
@Marti – from massvote.org:
Worth a shot?
You have at least a 6 month grace period. Marti I checked and you’re still on the voter rolls. Head over to your previous polling place!
@Fig: “Also, after voting I’m struck again about what a great building the Newtonville Senior Center is. If we ever do NewCal, that’s going to be my mission in life to find it a good replacement use. I’m thinking New Art Center extension location and gallery/meeting space for rent and events. We could use more non-profit meeting space in Newton that can be rented for free or nominal cost. Black box theatre?”
All great ideas! It really is a beautiful building!
I was voter #180 at Bigelow (1/3) at 1:30pm.
Thanks Amy. It needs some basic repair. Just because it isn’t a perfect use for a senior center doesn’t mean it can’t be a great community resource. And it in no way can be torn down or let to rot. The key is connecting it to a real use and activating the space. The bones are there for lots of potential uses.
I view this as a minor issue for the city in comparison to NewCal, but a major issue for Newtonville. I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. Every time I go in there I like it.
As far as I know, the city has no plans to tear down the current senior center building.
However, the repairs needed will not be minor.
Please read pages 2 and 3 of:
https://newcal.projects.nv5.com/download/supporting_docs_newcal/2019-09-26-NewCAL-Deep-Dive_A-Working-Group-Members-Perspective.pdf
Once repaired, the building will serve well for whatever purpose will fit into the space that is available.
PS: I drafted the Deep Dive document, but this assessment of repair needs and time frame came to me from people in the building department.
Richard, I recognize there are repairs to be done, but a lot of that work is related to heating/cooling. The shell seems solid. The idea you’d need to vacate the building for 2 years for that work was….unique. A new HVAC system and new heating is possible without using the steam system currently in place. I’m at a loss to explain the rest.
Seems like a great use for CPA money though.
The issue is asbestos. Quoting:
“The heating system is inconsistent and can leave some rooms quite cold and make some rooms unbearably hot. This is a steam system that was designed and built into the slab of the basement which was insulated with asbestos. To make repairs, the basement must be vacated, and the concrete slab flooring would need to be cut and removed for access. The steam pipes then run up to the second floor where they are buried in the walls behind the millwork. Repairs to these lines would also require the main floor to be vacated.”
I think it would be problematic to leave the existing piping system that is surrounded by asbestos in place and start anew with another system that does not open up what is below the basement floor.
However, your idea is on the table now and the building department can decide if it is a feasible solution that is safe, quicker, and less expensive.
Thanks for the follow up.
#225 at Bigelow 1/3 at 4 pm. Very slow trickle.
471 at Weeks House, 6/2
Richard, I wasn’t being critical of your report, just was surprised at the construction/rehab info within. And I should have thanked you for the hard work on the report before I made any comments. My apologies.
Let’s table this until we know what is going on with the building re: NewCal. I appreciate the response though.
354 at just before 6 ward 2:1 but it was reasonably steady.
#413 @ 5:1 (Emerson)
But lots of peeps filling out ballots.
#420 (purely coincidental) at 3/4 (Franklin School) at 6:30 pm.
319 at Burr (4/1) around 6pm, slow but steady trickle of people walking through
#322 at 4/1 at 6:20pm. Seems light.
Some nice kids set up a bake sale at Hyde around 3 in the afternoon.
#408 at 5/2 around 4:45pm. Slow but steady stream of voters.
Poll workers were predicting about 25% turnout?
Bake sale operation was in full swing!
Abby Parsons, our dogged Boston Globe / BU student reporter, was out seeking comment from voters. (Kudos! Looking forward to the article, Abby!)