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Elections director: 'we're going to be lucky if we break 25 percent'
"I'd say we're going to be lucky if we break 25 percent, 27 at the highest," said Larry Spahr, Washington County elections director.
"It will probably be just like spring when we had a record low turnout for the primary." Last spring, Spahr called the 21 percent turnout "horrible."
If that in fact turns out to be the case today, it will be the lowest turnout Spahr has seen since he started working in the elections office 28 years ago.
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Low-turnout elections - those in nonpresidential or nongubernatorial years - in Washington County previously hovered around percentages in the low 30s. With the passage of the National Voter Registration Act, which took effect in 1995, more voters register and they remain on the rolls for longer periods of time.
The law, commonly known as the motor-voter act, increased the number of voter registrations because licensees can become voters when states issue the card.
While failing to vote for two years was enough to purge a lackadaisical voter from registration lists under previous state law, the motor-voter act, timed to federal election cycles, keeps people on the rolls for up to eight years.
Washington County had 95,000 to 100,000 registered voters before, but the number now stands at more than 150,000.
When faithful voters head to the polls, they'll be seeing candidates for Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth courts. In Washington County, three county office-holders, all incumbent Democrats, are running unopposed for four-year terms.
Controller Michael Namie is running for his third term, Recorder of Deeds Debbie Bardella is running for her fourth term and Sheriff Samuel Romano is running for his second term.
Democrat Jury Commissioner Judith Fisher is seeking her fifth term while Republican Jury Commissioner G. Richard Zimmerman is running for his third term. Fisher and Zimmerman are not running against each other; one is to be elected from each party.
Two district judge races were decided in the primary when Ethan Ward won both nominations in the Claysville area and East Washington Police Chief Robert Redlinger did the same in the magisterial district that includes Washington, East Washington and North Franklin Township. The state Senate approved each as gubernatorial appointments so they could take office early.
Incumbent District Justice Curtis Thompson is seeking a fourth, six-year term in the Bentleyville area.
Council, supervisor and school board posts will also be on the ballot.
Residents in five precincts will be casting ballots in different places, Spahr said of changes made since the May primary.
Voters in California's 2nd precinct, instead of voting at the New Adventure Learning Center, formerly the Phillipsburg School, will be going to the borough building, 225 Third St.
Those who formerly voted at Mike's Service Mart in Cecil's 3rd precinct will now be voting at the Trinity Church fellowship hall, 119 Station St., McDonald.
Smith Township 5th precinct voters who formerly voted at the joint sewer office will be voting at the Mark West Liberty Midstream and Resource office, 1616 Atlasburg-Smith Township Road.
Voters in West Finley Township's 2nd precinct who formerly voted at the grange hall will now be casting ballots at the township building, 401 Beham Ridge Road.
Those who formerly voted at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Jefferson Avenue in Washington's 7th ward, second precinct, will now be voting at the Brownson House, 1415 Jefferson Ave.
Related articles:
Greene director: 'Voting is a matter of responsibility'
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election turn-out in wash., pa. : 11/3/2009
low turn-out in these races is awful & just goes to show you the level of apathy & complacent laziness that exist not just in our city but nation wide. the founding father for whom our city & county are named for (washington), must be rolling in his grave. oh by the way, look up who wrote, sponsored & passed the motor-votor law nation wide (pelosi, reid, frank, obama), it's a jury-mandering tactic, buying off votes of the uniformed in certain areas - statist approach to always control the result to their favor.
Election Director : 11/3/2009
Boy Larry, maybe if you were not so negative and actually made it fun and informational for voters more would show up. Maybe we need ACORN! When a story like this comes out the day of election it tells me we need a new Director of Elections that will help voters other days of the year. When its called an off year, thats what the voters hear and this is the way they respond. Make it as exciting as the Presidential race and inform people prior to the elections, do your job.
Choices : 11/3/2009
I voted this morning. I think it's hard for people to get excited about an election where there's not a lot of choice. Granted, there were options for the judges, but for a lot of the local races, there was only one candidate. It'd sure be nice to see more good people running for some of these positions. It would spur debate, and I believe that would benefit all of us.
Voter turnout : 11/3/2009
Voting for public office calls for non-biased public service. How hard is it to distribute a publication x weeks before election day with a bio of all candidates, voting records and position on issues. It sounds basic, but information at times of voting is often (deliberately or not) mismanaged. Mr Spahr, I see this as one of your prime pre-election responsibilities. If I was a money girl, I would bet on a direct correlation between independent pre-election voter education and voter turnout.
Voter turnout : 11/4/2009
There is a publication that is printed and published before the election. It is provided by the League of Women Voters. Unfortunately you can't make candidates submit information. The job of the Elections office is to coodinate the election, it is the job of the voters to find out information about the candidates that are running. It does not take much time to contact the elections office to obtain a specimen ballot for your precint and then proceed to find out information about the candidates yourself. It is your responsibility as a voter to educate yourself, not anyone elses.
Voter turnout : 11/5/2009
The League of Women Voters' publication is a collection of facts and other data, useful but not for the purpose of educating yourself with the candidates' voting record and position on current issues. Voters need a place where they can find this information (as submitted by the candidates) as well as a bio of each candidate. They do not want robo-calls and marketing, they want unbiased information needed to perform a constitutional right. I don't see what providing this would not be a public service. It certainly is not a matter of money, it is posible to provide public service that is cheap, effective and useful.
