November 16, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Hill voters turn out big for “election of change”
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Maureen Kortrey, Esta Jo Schifter and Dorothy Richards work at the Water Tower Recreational Center’s polling booths.

Three years of an unpopular war coupled with political corruption, sex scandals, and, in Pennsylvania, a midnight pay raise for legislators — all combined to produce a storm surge of voters during last Tuesday’s midterm elections.

“It was a successful election in the Ninth Ward,” said Democratic ward leader John O’Connell, obviously happy with the number of Democratic candidates voted into office.

“The voter turnout was high … very high,” he added, estimating that about 75 percent of the ward’s registered voters visited the polling booths Tuesday, compared to the approximately 35 percent that he said usually show up to vote in midterm elections.

“They aren’t coming here to vote — they are coming with a purpose and are voting for a change,” said Kris Sullivan, judge of elections for the Ninth Ward’s ninth division polling place at Fire Engine Co. #37 on Highland Ave.

The only problem the Ninth Ward faced on Election Day, according to O’Connell, was a group of people handing out what he called “phony ballots.” The ballots, which were illegal because they did not name the sponsor, read, “No Choice. No Vote. Rendell, Yes. U.S. Senate Candidates, No.” and urged voters to elect neither Bob Casey nor Rick Santorum because of their stance against abortion. O’Connell spent two hours collecting the illegal ballots and posters, which he said he found at 10 division polling places in the ward.

Jack Dempsey, to the right, proudly displays a “Vote Democratic” pin from the Truman election as he works the polls at Fire Engine Co. #37 last Tuesday.

Local committee members spent their day in neighborhood firehouses, libraries, churches and other easily accessible centers, overseeing the polling machines from 6:30 a.m. until after the polls closed at 8 p.m.

State Sen. LeAnna Washington visited poll workers at the Engine #37 firehouse with salads for lunch, which they quickly ate while handling a steady line of voters.

Just before 2 p.m., about seven hours into the voting, Jack Dempsey, an associate Democratic committeeman in the Ninth Ward, estimated that more than 300 people had already voted in the ninth division.

“The voting is wonderful,” he said, donning a “Vote Democratic” pin that he said dated back to the 1948 Truman election.

In fact, by the time of Dempsey’s estimate, 346 persons — about half of the ninth division’s active voters — had stepped into the division’s poll booths and cast their vote.

As voters went into each of the Ninth Ward’s polling places, they would walk past a slew of candidate signage, such as this display outside of the Water Tower, in campaigners’ last minute attempt to gain votes for their candidate. (Photos by Kristin Pazulski)

Sullivan said there was a line of about 25 or 30 people waiting outside when the polling place opened at 7 a.m.

“It’s really just incredible,” Sullivan said, adding that the division also received 25 absentee ballots, the most she ever remembers.

“The turnout has been pretty brisk,” said Gerry Whelan, a Democratic committeeman at another polling place.

Whelan, a 10-year resident of Chestnut Hill, recently became involved in politics because of “frustrations” with the current government.

“I decided I would like to contribute something to the process,” he said in between greeting voters in the lobby of Chestnut Hill’s Free Library branch, the polling place for the Ninth Ward’s divisions six and seven.

Maath Meri, owner of the Al Dana II restaurant, was passionate about his vote for change.

“We need a good economy with this democracy,” he said. “If we can have justice here, then we can have it out there. How many billions are spent in Iraq and Afghanistan? Give everyone in America some of that.”

“I changed my party to the Democrats before the primary,” said David Traupman, who has always voted but was particularly interested in this year’s senate race between Casey and Santorum. “I was disgusted with the Republican Party and fed up with the status quo.”

Some voters, however, came to vote due to a sense of duty to take advantage of their voting right.

“I believe you should use your right to vote,” Ellen Hass said as she walked into the library’s polling area.

The entire Olson family — Liz, Robert and Kate — said their vote against Santorum brought them to the polls Tuesday. Susan and Steve Schindler joined the Olsons, answering “ditto” to their reason for voting.

By 4 p.m at the Water Tower Recreational Center, poll workers were gearing up for the after-work/dinner rush. Already, about 291 voters had passed through the doors, almost half of the estimated 600 active voters in the division.

“Just wait until next year,” said Frank Galioto, director of constituent services for Councilman Frank Rizzo who was working the polls as a committee member of the Ninth Ward’s Republican committee, referring to what is expected to be an interesting race for mayor that has already begun to heat up, even before Tuesday’s polling booths opened for business.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or Kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.