Baby it’s cold outside, and it’s showing at the polls. About halfway into the special election voting day, turnout was cricket city. Turnout, however, kicked up in the afternoon at several city polling places. Barring a second-half surge in the day, the State Senate battle citywide will remain in single-digits percentage turnout. The one area performing well above all other precincts is Black Rock, of course, the highest-turnout area of the city that features the hotly contested race for State House.
About 550 voters had turned out at St. Ann’s Gym in Black Rock by 4 p.m., according to elections officials. While cricket quiet early, several other polling places experienced increased turnouts such as Central High School for West Side and North End voters, Dunbar in the East End and Hooker and JFK for the Upper East Side and East Side, all of which surpassed 200 voter turnout totals.
The State House contest, led by Black Rock, will hit double-digit turnout. State Senate contest, irrespective of five candidates will be hard pressed to get there. Connecticut’s 23rd Senate District covers about two-thirds of the city and a piece of western Stratford where turnout was trending about the same as Bridgeport.
Connecticut’s 129th State House District covers Black Rock, West Side and portions of the North End and West End.
The State Senate candidates: Democrat Ricky Dejesus, Republican Quentin Dreher, Working Families Party Ed Gomes, petitioning candidates Charles Hare and Ken Moales.
State House candidates: Democrat Steve Stafstrom, Republican Rick Torres, petitioning candidates Bob Keeley, Bob Halstead and Hector Diaz.
Absentee ballots could be a factor in such a low turnout. Stafstrom for the State House race and DeJesus for State Senate will likely have absentee ballot leads.
In a turnout like this the various campaign camps are searching for quality over quantity. That means identifying your friends and dragging them to the polls. And turn up the heat in the car.
Besides the cold, parking is an issue a Central High. When I went this morning there was one spot to park in the school lot. Otherwise you have to park in the street and walk to the school.
I voted for Ed Gomes at Cesar Batalla School at 1:30 and the vote count was 36.
This election will be won by AB votes or by the queen of the AB. Has there ever been an election here where more ABs were cast than walk-in votes?
I think we’re in for bad news all the way around.
I voted at Bassick High School at 3 PM, and there were 67 votes cast before me.
You think Tom McCarthy secretly votes for who he wants when he fills out the ballot, or does he do what Bill told him to do?
Wow, 36 votes and 67 voted after 1 pm Bassick and Battalla, sheesh. When I voted at Black Rock before work at 7:42 am I was voter 86.
When I voted this morning at Central at 8.30, there were 34 votes.
Vote total at Black Rock as of around 6 PM is in the 700s.
Slow, slow, slow. I will bet, however, the uptick at various sites was due to turnout by the best organized candidates. That would appear to benefit Gomes, Stafstrom and Torres. The silence from the usual suspects is deafening so it’s hard to know for sure, but that’s my guess. The silence may take us all by surprise in the State Senate race. As for the State Rep race, it’s all about getting your vote out and we’ll know that when we see it.