[RP TownTalk] not much of a wait at the polls

[Lou King]

Nancy Augustine wrote, On 11/4/2008 10:25 AM:
> Neighbors -
> When I got to Riverdale Park Elementary School, {to} VOTE!!!!

Nancy thanks for stopping by ;-) your timing was good, but a little off. 
Most of the afternoon and evening Tuesday there was no line at all! Just 
after 0700 I went out and ask a neighbor at the end of the line to let 
me know when they had voted. At 0815 she was through. At that time the 
line was inside the building and the line was never that long again.

About 0830, 300 people had been checked in at the E-PollBooks. That's 
200 voters an hour! It did slow down after that but was stead all day. 
The line never again was outside into the hall.  It really dropped off 
after 3:00 in the the afternoon.  The normal "after work - before 
dinner" rush never happened. We were worried, disappointed, until we 
thought about it.

I don't remember the numbers exactly, but EVERYONE in town voted. Of the 
~2,286 registered voters in 19-01 more than 1,400 walked through 
Riverdale Park Elementary School (I do remember Ms Gee came up with 
65%). From the ~900  I did not see on Tuesday, subtract those that have 
moved and the large number of Absentee Voters in PG county - and there 
wasn't anyone left in town to vote at the end of the day!  In fact the 
last voter Tuesday night was through about 7:45.

In the years working the polls here in Riverdale Park, I do not remember 
a turnout higher than 46%. One year it was only 29% for national 
elections.  This year it is higher than 65% counting all the Absentees! 
I think, with the exception of that little town in Main that is the 
'first' to vote, That turnout will be hard to bet - one of the reasons I 
like living here.

Lou

PS - Do not fear, I will dry my eyes. The COC will be back.
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