Workers blame a lack of advertisement about the election, among other things, for the low turnout.
It may look like the entrance to the 41st Ward voting poll at Forrest Elementary School is crowded, but don’t be fooled. Plenty of people are spending their day outside handing sample ballots out to the steady, if subdued, trickle of residents coming in to vote.
Around noon, an estimated 50 voters showed up from divisions 23 through 26 of the ward.
“It’s slow, but primaries always are,” said Michael Inamorato, who helped run the table for the 26th division.
About eight people stood outside the polling site handing out sample ballots that supported “John O’Neill” for district attorney — a candidate who has been running as Jack O’Neill. John is his given name. The name was used on the sample ballot hung outside the polling place.
Despite the discrepancy, most people outside supported him, and wished for a bigger turnout.
“All elections are important,” said Savannah Sheridan, one of the people handing out sample ballots outside.
“People should exercise their right to have a say,” said Danielle McMahan, another.
Most people running tables inside shared the disappointment with the turnout — with some exceptions.
“We never have a big turnout for primaries,” said Claire Houston, who ran the table for Division 23. She said it was a normal level of turnout and that she had been helping run polling sites for elections for “so many years.”
Workers running tables for Divisions 24, 25 and 26 were not as enthusiastic, saying it was low even for a primary.
More voters showed up the closer it got to noon, when people presumably got off for lunchtime.
All people, outside and inside, said they expected more people to show up later in the day when they got off of work. ••
