Today, we vote: Post here to share your Election Day observations- how busy are the polls? What signs are prevalent outside your polling station (or what are missing)? What other observations do you have?
Did you already vote early or by mail? Your commentary counts too!
I was voter #14 at 7:48 am at Bigelow (Ward 1, P. 3 in Newton Corner).
It was pretty quiet, though a lot of sign holders for a variety of candidates outside. I hope it gets busier later (or that more people voted early than I assumed).
I didn’t count them up, but it seems more or less everyone on the Ward 1 ballot had a sign out there.
I am on a break from sign holding at Bowen School Ward 6. Turnout very light. More signs than voters. Amy and Paul Levy stopped by and they got a lot of thumbs up from parents dropping off children at school. Barry and Brenda both there
I was voter 300 something at the Newton Free Library this morning. (I didn’t have my glasses). Boy there were a lot of signs out front! It was quiet, but 300 is lot for the morning if I read it correctly.
One thing I noticed: Only 3 people ran for Newtonville Area Council! That was a surprise. The person taking ballots joked when I asked for an area council ballot and told me I’d understand when I saw the ballot… Do other area councils have the same issue?
Quick thank you to the election workers! I miss the days of bake sales though.
I’m torn on predictions. I think Amy ran a terrific race, and it will end up being very close. I think the Globe endorsement helped Ruthanne. I’m still thinking about the rest.
Oh, and I’m very disappointed we only have TWO contested school committee races. I don’t know anything about some of those folks, and I know TOO much about the ones that are contested.
Update from my spy at Bigelow (1/3): 195 votes as of 10:30. That is more than 14, if my math is correct.
1:1, 185 at 10:30 but that includes the absentee and early voting. Small rush from 8-8:30. But there is a bake sale!!!!!! So come on down (even if you don’t vote here) lots of baked goods to nom and support the PTO!
(That would be Lincoln-Eliot School in Nonantum)
Mason-Rice has a bake sale right in front of the school raising money for their 5th graders so do you dont even have to vote there to pick up some delicious treats. Everything I tried was very good.
ED turnout appears to be low. Didn’t check the numbers, but definitely as many sign holders as voters.
I voted at 11:00 at Peirce School – precinct 3-2 – which had 1995 registered voters at last year’s presidential primary. I was number 308, a number that included early voters having already been tabulated through the ballot box earlier in the morning. That equals approximately 15% turnout at that point. My guess is perhaps a total turnout of 25% by end of the day via in-person and mail-in/dropbox votes that come in during the day.
I was at the Senior Center with signs from 7:00 to 9:30. Well matched signs for most contested elections – seemed to be the same at Peirce early morning as I drove by: competing armies out showing their respective colors. Both Amy and Ruthanne showed up at the Senior Center during the early hours also.
I voted at the Albemarle polling station. At 8:15 am there were few sign holders and 100 voters on the counting machine.
We may need to have a bake-off among the precincts, though I am not sure it needs its own thread.
For the record, Bigelow had no baked goods. Points for helping me walk off the “COVID 19 (pounds)”, I guess.
There is excitement in the air and everyone seems in good spirits. Even saw both “slates” enjoying each other’s company at one location this morning which was wonderful to see. See you all on the other side at 8:30ish. Happy Election Day all, go V O T E !
8:1: Oak Hill. About 84 votes as of 11:15 am and the pollsters were busy opening what looked like mail-in ballots. One person out there holding a Paul Levy sign. Otherwise quiet, other than what appeared to be middle school early release. I thought it odd that my Ward 8 councilor’s name was AFTER the school committee section and not with the at-large councilors.
Scott, the same is true for the Ward 1 ballot, with the Ward Councilor choice being at the end. I’m assuming that was the most efficient way to design the ballots, with the only differences being the one Ward-only race, easier to change the template if that is at the end.
My husband just voted at Peirce precinct (3-2) at 1:30. The count was 449. That brings precinct voting rate up to approximately 22%. It’s likely to pass 25% turnout in the precinct (using registered voter numbers from March 2020).
Only one sign holder was outside the polls, holding a Kelley, Kessler & Cote triple sign
NewTV will be providing election night coverage tonight starting at 8 p.m. with Ted Hess Mahan and me providing election analysis with Jen Adams starting at 9 p.m.
I predict the combination of Ted and me will drive some folks crazy with conspiracy theories and premature (but likely justified) complaints of bias.
But whatchagonnado, I’m sure NewTV looked for better looking and more balanced observers but I hear Sean was busy.
If you and Ted need a little more “handsome” for the set, I can make way down to NewTV on the Greenway. I live pretty close. 🙂 #HandsomeIsAFullTimeJob
Break a leg, Greg!
Speak for yourself, Greg. I am rocking my 60s and more handsome than evah!
Oh, can we call in?
“Hey, Chuck from Newton here… first time/ long time… Love you guys… anyway….”
“I’ll take my answer off the air, thanks.”
At 5:15 pm I was voter #548 at the Ward 3/1 polls at the Scandinavian Living Center. The poll workers said the afternoon was fairly busy. Of course, we have contested races in Ward 3 for City Council, so I expect that should boost the turnout a little bit.
@Ted
Mar 2021. 3/1 609
Nov 2017 3/1 965
I can’t remember how it works.
Do you know if mail-in ,absentee and early votes are already included in the tally at 548 when you were there?
I used the drop box by City Hall. I like going to the polls, but my hip wasn’t up to walking there and standing in line. I miss getting an “I voted” sticker – some friends say their state includes them with the mail-in ballots.
I voted at Peirce (3/2) at about 6:30. I was voter 696. No signs holders standing in the dark but the bake sale was still in force! Couple munchkins won’t wreck my dinner.
@Simon, I don’t believe so. I understand that voters can still drop off their ballots at the drop boxes until the polls close in 2 minutes.
I do wish the ballot had put the ward council elections on the first page along with the at-large contests. It was a bit confusing checking off the at-large section, moving immediately to the School Committee races and then find the squirreled in Ward Council elections at the bottom of the turnover sheet. That said, I wish that every state, city and town in America had the voting system we have in Newton. And I wish every state had a Bill Galvin overseeing the results.
TLDR: trump lost.