Across McKean County voting officials reported higher-than-normal participation in the midterm election on Tuesday.
In Bradford City, election officials were pleased to see active citizens casting votes.
As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, 254 voters had stopped at the Bradford City’s Second Ward voting precinct in First Presbyterian Church — a high number for a midterm election, according to election judge Virginia Palagonia. She attributed the number, in part, to the current political climate under Donald Trump’s presidency.
“However you feel about the president, he did get people out to vote,” said Palagonia.
Carrol Vecellio, another Second Ward election official, had a list of voter turnout numbers from previous elections.
The 2017 election brought 100 Second Ward voters out, while the 2016 election — with Trump competing against Hillary Clinton for the presidency — brough 358. Other heavy voter years included 433 voters in 2000 — the presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore, and 438 in 2004 — the presidential race between Bush and John Kerry. In 2012, 339 voters came out for the race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
By 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 200 people had traveled to the Third Ward precinct at Grace Lutheran Church to vote.
“It’s been an exceptional one for us,” said election official Virginia Comilla, noting the numbers were nearing what they normally are during a presidential election. Average votes in the Third Ward during a midterm election are usually in the 80s, she said.
She added that young people are coming out to show their interest in the political system.
“We’ve had several young, new voters that had to show their IDs,” Comilla said.
As of about 6 p.m. Tuesday, 76 Fifth Ward voters out of nearly 500 registered voters cast their votes at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, according to Jim Zannelli, majority inspector. He said usually between 40 and 60 come out to vote.
Woodrow Wilson, Fifth Ward judge of elections, said, “Many people are coming out to vote because of the concerns they have.”
Wilson noted that many older residents voted in order to have their say regarding taxation, especially property taxes. He also suggested that more elderly people would be able to vote if there was a bus or van to pick them up and bring them to the precinct.
Another roadblock for voters?
“Apathy is the killer of anything,” Zannelli said. “And we say, if you didn’t vote, you can’t complain about it.”
He is hopeful the current interest in voting will inspire more people to step forward and serve as voting officials. In the Fifth District alone, he is anticipating there will be at least two openings at the next election.
Anyone wanting to help is invited to contact the McKean County board of elections.
Bill Moore, who volunteered at the precinct at the Foster Township Municipal Building, said the turnout had been much greater than previous midterm election years.
“In the average midterm, we have around 525 voters. The highest we’ve ever had is 650 and we’re at about 750 right now with two hours to go,” Moore explained.
Moore said that he had seen more young and first-timers coming out to vote. He added that he doesn’t think the electronic ballot method is much more convenient for voters since many had trouble learning how to use the machines when they were first used, and the machines sometimes experience technical difficulties.
Linda Slike, a volunteer at the precinct at St. Bernard Elementary School in Bradford Township, said the turnout has been “wonderful.” Slike, like Moore, has also seen a healthy turnout of young and first-time voters.
Slike believes the electronic ballot is more convenient for tallying up votes at the end of the night, but feels voters would rather have a paper ballot for reassurance of who they vote for, since errors on electronic ballots may happen.
Election officials in both Smethport Borough and Norwich Township said, “Voting has been steady.”
In Smethport, 347 of the 958 registered voters had turned out as of 3:47 p.m. Tuesday.
More than a third of the registered voters in Norwich Township made it out to the Norwich Township Volunteer Fire Department to vote as of 4:08 p.m. Tuesday, when 122 out of the total 319 registered voters cast their votes.
In nearby Keating Township, the first district at the East Smethport Township office reported 262 voters out of 635 as of 3:58 p.m.
“Voting has been steady and heavy,” a Keating Township election official reported.
Dinah Gallegos, McKean County director of elections, told The Era Tuesday that the elections went smoothly overall, but there were questions from some people who had moved and were unsure where they were registered.
President Judge John Pavlock was on call to rule on any election questions.
Zannelli talked about the process election officials go through each year to ensure voting is done fairly, explaining that a checks-and-balances system keeps people from cheating.
When officials arrive at 6:30 a.m. on election day, they print the list of voters from the machine to make sure they are set at zero at the start of the day.
It’s a long day for the officials, who begin before the polls open at 7 a.m. and stay after the polls close at 8 p.m. to finish the paperwork. During that time, election officials can call headquarters in Smethport with any questions, Zannelli explained. Also, people called rovers make their way between voting sites to help with any problems with the voting machines.
After the polls close, they take the paperwork and machines to a site in Bradford, from which they are taken to the Department of Voter Registration and Elections in Smethport. If there is any discrepancy, they can go look at the voting numbers in Smethport that are also printed and posted at each voting location, he said.
“It’s a big group effort to make” election day work, Zannelli said.
Zannelli noted that starting today, anyone who was not able to vote will be able to register to vote in the next election.
