Mid-point update: On a perfect day for voting, turnout is steady throughout most city precincts as more than 61,000 eligible electors will choose Bridgeport’s next mayor. Turnout in the Democratic primary was about one-third when Joe Ganim upset incumbent Bill Finch in the largest raw turnout in 30 years for a mayoral primary. Based on voting at the midway point today’s percentage turnout is tracking to at least hit the one third mark. The higher percentage turnout areas such as Black Rock and Winthrop School in the North End are at a brisk pace with the campaign camps of Ganim, Mary-Jane Foster and Republican Rick Torres out in full force. Black Rock, which will likely eclipse 50 percent turnout, is Foster and Torres territory. How they split up that vote could be a factor in the outcome. Meanwhile, African American precincts such as Wilbur Cross and Dunbar, which are Ganim territory, are also at a steady pace.
Today’s vote for mayor is as historic as historic gets on a perfect weather day for voting. We’ll be out in the field checking things out during the day, but OIB is all about teamwork so if you hear something let us know or feel free to comment. We’ll post numbers as soon as we can after 8pm. Meanwhile any issues, questions, concerns check info below.
Election Day Hotline:
Secretary Merrill once again released the Election Day Hotline in coordination with the State Elections Enforcement Commission which is 1-866-SEEC-INFO or 1-866-733-2463> in addition to an email hotline elections@ct.gov should voters encounter any difficulties at the polls. Secretary Merrill’s office will be conducting several coordination conference calls throughout the day with counterparts at the State Elections Enforcement Commission to monitor any potential irregularities or problems at the polls. As voters head to the polls tomorrow, Secretary Merrill urged voters to go online to www.myvote.ct.gov to see where their polling place is located, view sample ballots from their town, or find a location for Election Day Registration.
Volunteer Attorney Program:
Once again Secretary Merrill is once again working in concert with the Connecticut Bar Association pursuant to authority granted to her office in 2011 when the Connecticut General Assembly overwhelmingly passed Public Act 11-46 which states, in part: “… the Secretary of the State, or the Secretary’s designee, shall be allowed access to each polling place within the state during any municipal, state or federal election, primary or recanvass for the purpose of reviewing each polling place and recanvass for compliance with state and federal law.” Volunteer attorneys from the Connecticut Bar Association will be on call throughout the state available to respond if asked by Secretary Merrill’s office. The designees will only be dispatched to a polling place if a particular problem is reported to the Secretary of the State’s office and Secretary Merrill determines it is necessary to receive independent confirmation of reported information. Designees have no authority in the polling place other than to observe the local administration of elections and report back to Secretary Merrill on the compliance with state and federal election laws. The volunteer attorneys have been trained in election administration by the Secretary of the State’s office, and have signed an agreement that they will not act in a partisan way on Election Day. In total, more than 100 Connecticut attorneys have volunteered to participate in the program, and are ready to serve in communities all over the state.
So here is the real choice:
1. An unrepentant felon who violated his oath of office as Mayor of Bridgeport. There is no penalty for violating one’s oath of office by the way.
2. A soap opera actress who is being supported by the outgoing mayor who is looking for a job so he can get a city pension. This outgoing mayor has done little in two terms for the economic benefit of this once-great industrial city.
3. A highly educated engineer who has defied the Democrat Party machine and managed to be the voice of reason and has actually run a successful business.
So let’s give the Bridgeport Democrat Party machine its walking papers and try to do some serious economic development and downsize the bloated city government at the administrative level getting rid of the flies and leeches who have sucked this city dry.
I’m sorry, but whom are you talking about?
He’s just an angry Torres supporter. Apparently Torres folks are taking down lawn signs at the polling locations. He’s already a sore loser!
I think it is against the law to have any candidate materials within 75 feet of a polling location.
Anybody working the polls for MJF?
I voted at Central High this morning. MJF herself was there with a group of people. Ganim’s brother (Paul?) was there too along with a crew of Torres supporters.
I shook MJF’s hand and wished her luck.
YES, THERE ARE.
Poetic justice, Adam Wood’s slight against Denise Merrill, Secretary of the State, culminates in the SOTS denying Adam Wood’s candidate, Mary-Jane Foster, the election oversight she desires. Typical for Bridgeport. Everything Wood has done has been for himself and at the city’s disadvantage.
Bob and CB, you can let it go now, no one is listening anymore. Go vote or do something constructive with your time, no one is listening to your garbage anymore, no one.
Get out and vote Foster.
Vote Torres!
You guys wouldn’t know what to do if you couldn’t bullshit and solve all of the world’s problems talking with Rick at Harborview Market, but don’t worry, he’s losing, he’ll be there with you.
You know what’s sad? The same people who played kissy-face with Finch for the last eight years are tearing him up today at the pols. And not much nicer to MJF.
600+ at Black Rock by noon, 200+ at JFK by noon.
Is Rick bringing croissants to his polling locations? Might be the best strategy he has at this point.
Any word on early exit polls? I mean real exit polls, not wishful thinking from the various camps?
All I really care about, and one point MOST of us can agree on, is Finch is OUT!
825 at Black Rock at 1:40pm.
I understand/appreciate the polls have not closed, but does it bother anyone else voter turnout is SO LOW? I would think there have to be between 5,000 and 10,000 registered voters in Black Rock. Why have only 1/10th voted? Also, based on Lennie’s comment above, we should have 33% voter turnout. SERIOUSLY?
Ultimately, I don’t care who you vote for as much as I care that YOU VOTE. What is wrong with people? Men and women have literally died to guarantee our right to vote and you can’t be bothered to get out of the house on a beautiful day and vote? REALLY LAME!
Brick, that’s the sentiment of the police officers here at the pols. I knew they didn’t like him but didn’t realize how much they despised him. And his playgrounds that pulled money from the force.
Mike, only 3,300 are registered at Black Rock.
Wow. I thought a lot more lived in that neighborhood. If so, almost 1/3 by 1:30 isn’t that bad.
There are about 3,000 registered voters in the Black Rock precinct.
Lennie, did registration drop from 3,300?? 2012 CT post blog reported 1,822 people out of 3300 had voted at Black Rock by 6:40pm.
donj, that was a presidential year when registration tends to be higher. Yes, according to the latest voter registration number for Black Rock, it’s about 3,000.
At this point in time, how many people have voted in Black Rock?
Regardless, the larger question looms. Why does voter turnout suck?
T minus 5 hours until the Torres campaign starts citing corruption at the polls when he comes in at 10% of the overall vote.
T minus 24 hours until the wake at his store.
Machine count at Black Rock School was over 1,280 as of about 5:30.
Report from the field. As of 6:01pm, 1,294 people have voted at Black Rock school, huge turnout. I was voter 1,294. Huge turnout, bigger than a midterm election.
Thanks donj, I forgot the “report from the field” part.
Haha, did I see you there??? Seems like we voted around the same time.
Afraid not, a friend gave me the totals. I voted this morning. One of these days we’ll run into each other.
So just over a third of the total registered in Black Rock. Seems low, but maybe it’s normal. There is still 2 hours to vote. Is 30% normal for BR?
I wonder how a low turnout affects the candidates.
In the end, I voted for Mary-Jane. I had my mind made up to vote for Joe up until a couple weeks ago, the thing that made me change my mind was the article where Testa was talking about the union raises, he commented to the effect, “If Joe wins, I will do everything in my power to get the raises passed.” I have no problem with the actual raises, but I do have a problem with the idea of Mario thinking he has that much power if Joe got in. Sorry Joe, but you should have kept Mario quiet.
Joe never gave any raises to the Fire Department. He closed many fire engine companies too, and a couple fire houses, but maybe that was Mario too. Mayor Finch, he didn’t really help the Police department, and he had his own little kingdom. I hope for Bridgeport if Ms. Foster wins, she can be an independent leader. I really can’t think of any harm that would be done with Torres, though. If I could, I’d give him my vote.
Hey BARF, how are you doing?
Hey Ron, I’m doing just fine. I’m healthy, raising a healthy family of two youngsters, have a grandson too … working a lot, as many do. Always checking in here to monitor the circus. Lots of BIG changes to come in the near future. Hope all is well, and God bless you!
Winthrop is a morgue, I’m surprised on such a perfect day no one is coming out to vote in such an important election but in the end if/when Ganim wins, MJF needs to look in the mirror and ask did she do all she could to get into the East End and Reservoir Ave areas to get her message out.
Ganim is a relentless campaigner who knocked on doors all over the city and if no one was home he left hand-signed personal notes saying, “Sorry I missed you, Joe.”
Torres concedes: CT Post
As the sun was setting on Election Day, long-shot Republican mayoral candidate Enrique Torres on Tuesday predicted that Democrat Joe Ganim will win the mayoral race.
He denies this on his FB page. LOL.