It’s finally here– the Special Election for Wards 1 and 2 Councilors-at-Large.
Did you vote early or by mail? Are you voting in person today? Please let us know what your experience is today; do the polls seem crowded (or not)? Are there are a lot of sign-holders out, and for whom? What number vote was your ballot (if you care to notice)?
Regardless of the heat even an “off-year” election can generate, there is nothing more worthy of celebration here in the United States than being able to vote for those who represent us in government.
Good luck to all the candidates, and we look forward to seeing the results!
‘I Voted’ sticker on the black background.
I was vote #12 at a very quiet poll at the Emerson School in Upper Falls (Ward 5) at 8:15 this morning. Between it being a special election and all the mail-in and early voting it looks like the poll workers will have a pretty quiet day.
There was a lone, very bundled up, and cold looking Lucas/Oliver sign holder in the parking lot when I arrived and a second one had joined by the time I came out. It was a tough morning to be hanging out with those temperatures and breeze – one of the advantages of holding elections in November rather than March.
I liked all the candidates, and voted by mail. In hindsight, I don’t think the election itself was that negative. Elections always have been and always will be tough contests. This was no different.
What has changed is the way social media (and this blog) distorts, magnifies, and broadcasts everything that’s said by and on behalf of the candidates, and turns those things into grievance and outrage. The public discourse about the election is as if not more important than what actions of the organized campaigns.
I have seen the problem and it is us. We are the ones who need to behave ourselves.
LDS: I don’t think you’ve seen the mailers dropped at my house or the calls made. Not just social media. This was a far more negative election than I personally have experienced in Newton. Maybe that was just focused on the north side.
@Fig, yes I’ve seen every bit of it. I’ve seen the stuff from SN, and a flyer from Maddy calling John a liar and a misogynist. My point isn’t that the campaign has not been negative. It certainly has. It just seems to me the crowd has changed more than the gladiators.
LDS. I think having head to head elections makes it worse. Maybe the candidates are more polarizing a bit. I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. My inbox is filled with angry people. I really don’t get it.
I’ve spoken up for who I support, but I certainly won’t be sad if any of the other candidates win. This is just a local election.
I was vote 206 at Bigelow: Ward 1/3 (2/7 also votes there), a little after noon
I expected a lower number with the early cold, and there were very few people there. Also no two-tiered check-in/check-out system (last time I voted in person was the early March primaries last year).
Outside, a lone sign-holder for Ranalli.
I voted #366 at the Albemarle field house at noon. Not as cold by then. Three poll workers inside keeping warm with the heat turned up. No other voters as I checked in and no sign holders outside.
Just think these 5 candidates may be running again by July. I wonder how many contested races there will be in this local election year. Should be some competitive races especially with zoning reform causing concern throughout the city. Schools are also a controversial issue. I have also heard that the snow ordinance needs some help as fine warnings are not being regulated. There are several more important issues to debate of course. All in all our city could be turned upside down in 2021 because our city council is weak in the sense that most crucial votes will be rubber stamped by a majority of the women councilors who follow RuthAnne unfailingly.
I am not sure the council is a “rubber stamp” apparatus:
– I would pay good money for the guy from Parliament to start shouting “ORDER” (Speaker John Bercow) at the ZAP meetings; the debate in that forum has been healthy, as has scrutiny of suggestions prepared by the Planning Department.
– When I look back at the letter signed by Councilors in favor of Housing Choice back in May, I see 11 Councilors behind it, suggesting many views present in the Council.
https://lwvnewton.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Housing-Choice-letter-to-Newton-legislators-May-9-2020.pdf
I was voter 406, noontime at Mason Rice School, Ward 6/Precinct 4. Bryan Barash, sign holder for Bryan Barash, was the sole person out front.
I suspect that the relatively high voter numbers v. the amount of traffic folks have been seeing actually to the polling sites suggests that the early votes have been run through the machines. For instance, I doubt very much that 6/4 had 400+ in-person voters by noon. We may see a pretty quick announcement of results.
384 at 3/4, Franklin school. Not bad for a special election Sign holders for both Barash/Ranalli and Lucas/Oliver.
Sean, agreed. I was at the Ward 2 Newton Library at around 8 and it was already at 138. And I was the only one there for 5 minutes or so.
I have no idea how this will turn out. Special elections are really hard to predict. Speaking of predictions, don’t we usually have a prediction thread on the winners and the total numbers of votes or something?
Good point Figgy. I’ll start a new thread.
At 3/2 (Peirce School), my wife and I were voters 401 and 402 at around 4pm. No sign holders but we went in the parking lot entrance. Who knows, there may have been dozens of sign holders out front. And a bake sale.
Grrr.
Dan Foley please dont mention election day bake sales. It has been a sore subject for the past 12 years and my single regret about moving here.
I had always thought delicious baked goods were an intrinsic part of voting, like popcorn at the movies, hot dogs at the ball game .i.e you cant have one without the other.
Then I moved to newton ward 5-1 and haven’t had an election day home made baked good since.
I take it back. I’ll try to keep a lid on my begrudgery. Go ahead and revel in your delicious baked goods. You are living democratic life as it is meant to be lived and that’s a good thing.
I voted early. It took 15 minutes. Have spoken to a few undecided people even as of yesterday. Thank you to all the poll volunteers!
#496 at 3/3 at 7:45pm.
https://apps.newtonma.gov/…/ele…/03162021-unofficial.htm
Too early to say