Election Day reports, special Senate version

By adamg on Tue, 01/19/2010 - 7:50am

What are you seeing out there?

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I was voter no. 59 at Ward 11, Precinct 8

By Chris Helms
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:15am

That's at English High in JP. Voted at 7:50, so that's more than a voter per minute.

57

By Jono
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:15am

Just voted in Somerville and I was the 57th person to vote in my precinct, which if memory serves, me is just about the same number of people who had voted during the Dem Primary in Dec. For whatever that's worth.

Voted in Somerville

By Brian S.
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:33am

I waited about 15 minutes at the Dante Club in Spring Hill. There was a good turnout and about a line of 15 deep. I was number 118 to vote before 8am.

Watertown

By Suldog
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:30am

MY WIFE and I voted at 7:15 in Watertown. No lines, two people in ahead of us when we arrived, one came as we were leaving. We were pretty early, of course, but if the turnout remains as relatively light in such traditionally heavy Democrat-voting areas, it will not fare well for Coakley.

(We both voted for Kennedy, by the way. No surprise on my part, but MY WIFE - staunch, almost socialist, Democrat - just couldn't put aside the relative hideousness of the other two.)

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

9:15 am...

By FlyingToaster
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:28pm

... and there was a steady stream (one couple ahead of us in line for our precinct, four people in line on the other side) at Cuniff School. And Warren Street was entirely parked in -- we ended up a block away instead of parking the the drop-off lane. At least the poll workers recognized WarriorBabyGirl :)

Weirdly enough, NO sign holders, and no signs for any candidates. Never seen that before.

Two Wasted Votes

By Frustrated Virginian
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:08pm

Voted for Kennedy? Wow, that's like Nader in Florida. This thing could come down to the wire and if Brown wins it could be because of people like you. How's THAT going to sit with you, having SIX years of a teabagger Republican bolstering the Party of No and helping to block legislation YOU wanted? You couldn't just hold your noses for a moment and make the necessary choice?

But, don't you know whose seat it is?

By Sarcastic Sam
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:21pm

It's KENNEDY'S seat, right?

Six years??? I guess since

By cowsandmilk
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:22pm

Six years???
I guess since you're a "Frustrated Virginian" you don't know how long this term will be. They'll be serving out the remainder of Kennedy's term, so about 3 years, not 6 years...

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos

By SomerVillain
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:22pm

It was such a civil thread up until this point. I guess every party needs a pooper. You are the pooper.

Time to go back to Virginia

By anon2
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:51pm

Time to go back to Virginia please, you're not helping.

Signed,

Ma progressive

You Assume...

By Suldog
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 2:03pm

... that we would otherwise have voted for Coakley. That's quite an assumption.

Look, if you feel that voting for the person who best represents your own feelings is somehow a more reprehensible action than voting for the lesser of two evils (whichever one of these folks that is, and keeping in mind that the lesser of two evils is STILL EVIL) then so be it. I don't.

Personally, I refuse to go through my life having voted for candidates with whom I have fundamental disagreements when another choice was available. You, on the other hand, may be stuck with the prospect of looking in the mirror every morning and having to acknowledge that you trod on your own principles.

I understand pragmatism. Had this been a two-person race (you say it is, but physical proof exists that it isn't) then I would have made a choice between Brown and Coakley. Didn't have to, though, and if that bothers you, well, I guess I did actually get something decent in return for my vote :-)

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

That's probably backwards.

By UserGoogol
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 5:22pm

If anything, I'd have to figure that most Kennedy voters would vote for Coakley first. It's hard to say, since libertarians are hard to fit onto a left-right axis, (more than the other parties third parties) but in practice when they do vote for one of the big two, they tend to vote Republican, since taxes and spending tend to be a big issue for them. There are some of a more liberal-tarian persuasion who consider civil liberties and social issues more important, (where Democrats would be more in line with their thinks) but they seem to be a bit rarer.

Of course, there are also people like Suldog's wife, who aren't actually libertarians and just want to protest the two party dichotomy, but one has to figure that most protest voters have at least libertarian sympathies. Voting for someone who you think would be a bad Senator purely to protest someone else who you think would be a bad Senator would be a bit irrational.

Also, the exact argument you made is an argument that libertarians would find appealing. Libertarians want very small government, and many are perfectly willing to accept hopelessly crippled government as the next best thing. There is legislation that libertarians would like to see pass, but the sort of dramatic cuts in the size of government that libertarians aren't something they ought to hold out hope for.

(Suldog makes his own defense that he wouldn't have voted for either party, which is probably true of a lot of libertarians, but ultimately what matters is the net benefit. Some of the people who vote for Kennedy would have voted for either Brown or Coakley in his abscence, and the question is what ratio they would have done it in.)

And I meant Kennedy voters would vote Brown first.

By UserGoogol
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:38pm

Obviously considering the context, but that's a stupid typo I should have noticed.

More reports

By adamg
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:33am

Here - Retweeting as fast as I can :-).

3/7

By johnmcboston
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:37am

Line out the door at Boston's W3P7 at 7am. Took took 15-20 minutes to get through it, and line was longer when I left. Guess a lot of us getting things done before work.

Turnout OK in 22/9 and 22/8

By Michael Pahre
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:50am

Voting this morning a few minutes past 7 am in Ward 22, Precinct 9 had a few people in line in front of me; no line for 22/8. Nothing surprisingly active or quiet for this time of day.

But there is definitely black ice in the parking lot of the Edison K-8 School!

Brighton

By Kaz
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:52am

Line was out the door at 8:15 AM! Of course, the check-in desk is right in front of the door...

Was in line behind about 4-5 people for my precinct in Brighton. Didn't take notice of what the machine said it had read yet because I had a ZipCar about to turn into a pumpkin from the night before at 8:30 AM.

Brighton

By The Beer Guy
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:12am

Kaz, do you vote at the senior center on Washington Street?

Yah

By Kaz
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:31am

Yeah, I can never remember the district/precinct whatever without looking it up online or having someone else here tell me. Heh.

But it's 91-95 Washington St on the first floor.

Brighton

By The Beer Guy
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 2:46pm

Voted at 91-95 Washington Street. #260. A sole Coakley sign was taped to a street sign outside, which was enough to convince me.

Brighton as well

By lightthievesall
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 5:32pm

I just voted at the Taft school on Warren St. around 5pm. I think there were a half-dozen other voters (tops). Two lonely, soaked campaign signs were taped to the fence outside, one each for Coakley and Brown.

#140

By Stevil
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 8:57am

I was voter number 140 at about 8:15. For comparison I looked during the mayoral race and all precincts were voting at a rate of approximately 90 people per hour - but I was working a neighborhood table from 7-8 at the mayor's race and there was no way 140 people showed up by 8:15 - maybe half that. I walked right through but there was a ten-person line building as I left the polls. Busiest I remember in quite some time - even the presidential race.

One lonely Coakley supporter outside the Copley BPL - no Brown supporters - kind of surprising - the local pols get better standouts (which I really don't think make any difference - although I've done it for moral support).

No matter who wins - this race has had a profound impact on the nation's politics. The Dems has better run for the middle or they are in big trouble come November.

We're number 1.... and 2!!

By Carolyn
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:12am

My husband and I were the first two votes cast in our precinct!

We waited from 6:40 a.m. for the polls to open. By 7 a.m., there were enough people standing in the high school foyer that the front door wouldn't close. There were more people in waiting before 7 than I've seen in that high school cafeteria the years since they switched to paper and pen ballots!

Middle of what? They have run

By anon2
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:42am

Middle of what?

They have run to the middle. HCR is all but exactly what the GOP had said it supported 10 years ago, only with ectra defiecet reducing measures and they still won't vote for it?

The middle isn't what the GOP screams and crys about. Indys are PO'd because of nothing is getting done that benefits the people. Thats because of the GOP's cynical political ploy. Still, Indys don't care. They are saying Get it done, or well fine someone who will.

Update - and Uncle Sam is supporting Brown

By Stevil
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 4:50pm

All three precincts at the Copley BPL were in the range of 700 votes as of 4:10 pm - seems about the same as the mayoral race. One troubling anecdote for Coakley fans - ran into a former coworker who said he hasn't voted in years - literally didn't even know how to cast his ballot - said he voted for Brown(saw another one of those this morning but no idea who he voted for). It's going to be an interesting and possibly very long evening as I'm sure nobody called those two guys to see who they were voting for!

Brown's election night gala is at the Park Plaza - there is a 6' 5" guy outside dressed up as Uncle Sam - he looks great - the beard, the hair (and the height) all appear to be real. Walked by about 20 minutes ago and Uncle Sam was on his cell phone getting out the vote!

If your comment doesn't show up right away

By adamg
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:05am

It's because I'm at West Roxbury District Court covering the arraignment of the clerk murderer charged with killing that clerk at the JP Tedeschi and not near the comment-approval queue. Get a free account and your note here will go up right away.

West Roxbury polls were

By Neil
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:10am

West Roxbury polls were fairly sparse at 7:30 this morning. One couple ahead of me who brought their dog to vote.

At the Joyce Kilmer

By 02132
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 11:54am

I was at the Kilmer at about 8:10 this morning, and the place was deserted at that particular time, but I was voter #111. At first the voting machine tried to reject my ballot, like a crumbled dollar being declined by a vending machine, but democracy was at stake, so I tried it a second time. I'm relieved to report it accepted my ballot without another worry.

Truly, and through great adversity, I have done my part today.

In the suburbs...

By MassOfConfusion
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:22am

I was voter #286 in west Natick at 9am - that is an incredible turnout for a special election on a snowy day. The winner is our right to vote!

central square

By central squared
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:23am

In Cambridge (central square) at city hall there was a steady stream at 8am, resulting in a consistent line of maybe 4 or 5 people. There was no presence by either candidate there.

Brighton also

By anon-a-mouse
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:24am

Suprised no supporters from either side. I think Brown is going to run away with this one folks...just a feeling.

What was odd

By Kaz
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:34am

Now that you mention it, there's a light pole just about 100 feet from the door that nearly every campaign ties signs too outside of my polling place each election. As of 8:15 AM this morning, neither a Brown nor a Coakley (nor a Kennedy) sign on the pole at all. We usually don't have people standing around pushing a particular candidate, even for city elections, but not even a sign up was a bit sub-par for the course. Maybe it was the weather or something.

Strange, huh?

By Lecil
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:57am

I noticed the same thing when I wandered through at 8am-ish. I mean, NO signs. I was concered that my polling place had moved without telling me! There were just a couple of other voters at the time. With the fill-in-the-dot ballots is there any way to tell which voter-number you are?

Look on the machine

By Kaz
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 11:19am

You have to look at the counter on the machine that eats the ballot at the check-out table.

Thanks

By Lecil
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:06pm

I'll try to remeber that come next election time. Giving that I tend to vote pre-coffee, however...

Voted at 9:00

By anon
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:26am

Longer than usual line to get in to vote.
I voted in Dorchester

when I was there at 8 am, the

By cowsandmilk
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:33am

when I was there at 8 am, the Taft School seemed busier than usual. No line for 21/8, but usually I hardly see anyone else there at a place that serves several precincts.

Also, I always go through the handicap entrance in the back of the school because its closer to my apartment, so I have no idea if there were any supporters or not. So that's a tip for anyone who gets annoyed by supporters and votes there.

North End

By Paul
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:34am

I voted at the Navarro Community Center at 7:15 a.m., I was the only voter there when I arrived. As I left, there were four people waiting in line. No signs, no volunteers, very quiet...

Ward 7, Precinct 7

By anon2
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:38am

Ward 7, Precinct 7

Very light, but got there a little late at 8:00 due to the snow. No Brown supporters, which I found weird, since in the 2008 general there were tons of McCain/Obama supporters. Coakley supporters down at South Station/ One Finacial. Again, no Brownie Teabaggers.

Hope thats a good sign, but Boston isn't where we have to worry IMO.

Steady flow of people where I

By SN
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 9:45am

Steady flow of people where I voted this morning. It was well organized so the line moved quickly.

On another note, did anyone else stop answering the phone this weekend? After 10+ calls on Sunday we stopped answering and didn't pick it up once while it rang all day yesterday. Scott Brown's campaign gets points for having an actual person call on Sunday, not a robo call, but then he loses points because I let her finish her spiel and then asked a follow up question about what she said and she panicked and hung up on me.

That's one of the benefits of caller ID.

By roadman
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 2:06pm

Didn't have to answer any of the robo-calls, and automatically hit delete when the messages came up on my voice mail.

Of course, the REAL solution to this nonsense is to expand the "do not call" list to political orginizations and charities.

Ward 5 in Quincy

By Laura
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:07am

Only about eight people in line at 8:15 this morning.

Roslindale, Conley School, 8:40

By Michael Kerpan
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:05am

I was number 110 at my precinct, not sure how the other precinct voting there waws doing. No line for either precinct.

Ward 4 precinct 9 steady but no lines

By bostonzest
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:14am

Voted about an hour ago at the Copley Square Library. No lines but the officials said it had been steady since opening.

St.Nectrios in Rosi Sq was

By cscott
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:22am

St.Nectrios in Rosi Sq was nearly empty at 930, no sign holders to be seen and none at the library either. Dropped my kid off at the Philbrick School which was also devoid of the usual signs of life. What a difference compared to the Mayoral election!

No. 197 @ 8:15 in Precinct 14 Brookline

By issacg
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:24am

That is a pretty good turnout - I voted at nearly the same time on primary day and the number was not nearly that high - possibly less than 50, almost certainly under 100. This precinct comprises mostly single family homes (and therefore, lower density), so I was surprised by what was a higher number than I expected this morning. There was also a pretty constant line of 7-10 people waiting to obtain a ballot. As this was after the school day had already begun, these were likely not people dropping off their children.

Outside of the polling place, there were no people urging a vote for one candidate or another, but there were a couple of signs for Coakley (I saw no signs for any other candidate). Looks like this might shape up to be an interesting night.

I'm fascinated that the ads I

By cowsandmilk
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:35am

I'm fascinated that the ads I see on most sites I visit (boston.com, the text ads here, etc.) are for Scott Brown. I tried to pull up one for Coakley by refreshing several times and going to other pages, but I don't see anything. Anyone else have the same experience?

seeing the same

By MassOfConfusion
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:40am

Seeing the same ads - even on cnn.com - almost all for Brown.

All I get are Coakley

By Kaz
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:41am

Although they changed since yesterday. Yesterday, all of the Coakley banner ads were tying Brown to Bush and Cheney. Today, they all say to vote for Coakley, but with the same font/style/backgrounds.

Prob a large last min ad

By anon2
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:45am

Prob a large last min ad buy.

But it's not surprising. Coakleys tech campaign was almost nonexistent. The state party couldn’t have picked a lamer candidate.

i'm getting all coakley, all the time.

By bandit
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:52am

saw *one* ad for Scott Brown, but otherwise here, boston.com, etc. have been all Martha Coakley.

Martha

By Margaret
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:47am

I was voter #114 in my traditionally low-voter ward-precinct 21-6 when I voted around 10am at Jackson-Mann. This is not a high number but it is higher than the #56 during the Democratic primary (needless to say, it is a heavily Democratic area which is why I live there). Go Martha!

Brookline Heath School was

By anon
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:58am

Brookline Heath School was pretty dead at 730am. One Coakley sign, but thats it

Boston English at 10 AM

By MarkNavin
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 11:06am

So at my polling place in liberal JP, there was no line, in fact I think I was one of 3 or 4 who were voting when I was there. No campaign workers at all, and only Coakley signs up on the fences outside Boston English. One surprise, Joe Kennedy is listed as a "Liberty" candidate...I didn't realize that was a recognized party, and I thought he'd be listed as "Independent."

Steady in W. Roxbury

By bph
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 11:24am

I was voter 310 at the Beethoven, Ward 20/Precinct 15 at around 11. I think that's about twice as many as during the primary at about the same time. The poll workers said they've had a steady stream of voters all morning.

There were 2 signs for Brown & 2 for Coakley and no campaign workers.

Curtis Hall, JP

By alkali
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:11pm

I was voter #66 in Ward 19, Precinct 8 at 8:00 a.m. Steady flow of voters (less than 2008, but steady). Large Coakley sign attached to fence. No Brown signs. No volunteers for either side.

Sign holders are generally

By NotWhitey
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:20pm

Sign holders are generally there to keep their jobs or contracts - quid pro quo. In a Senate election, there's not many jobs involved. All sign holding is local.

door-to-door canvass for Coakley in JP

By david_yamada
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:23pm

The Democrats are doing door-to-door canvassing for Coakley in JP, and they're targeting reliable Dem voters. It's a sign that they put together a strong get-out-the-vote effort in a very short time.

Voter turnout was high at the Smith House near Stony Brook T stop.

Boston South End

By Megan
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 12:39pm

I was at the Cathedral Gymnasium in the South End around noon (I forget the Ward No.). One of the precincts had around 8 people in line. Otherwise the place was empty. The poll workers were off chatting with each other.

boston.com

By pj
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:22pm

Is anyone having trouble getting on boston.com?

It might be overloaded with election hits

Somerville report

By anon
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:59pm

At my polling place around noon, Teele Square area, I was voter 478. One polling place worker coming to vote on her break mentioned they had 500 in the space of three hours and wouldn't be surprised if they cracked 1500.

Not good news for Brown.

Senate Vote

By LeonardKoan
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 1:59pm

I'm north of the city in Tewksbury and voted about 1 pm. What I noticed at my own polling location and several others en route there and to work was the preponderance of Brown signs. Not a single Coakley sign at my polling place nor at 3 others I passed in Billerica. Plenty of Brown signs. What gives, Martha?

Not a single poll worker or sign, though, which was weird.

Election Day reports, special Senate version

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