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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Lehigh Valley Turnout Very Heavy

When I voted this morning at 9 AM, I was voter #186. Considering that there were just 377 total votes in my precinct during last November's general election, it's safe to say turn out is heavy. Here are some of the reports I've been getting.

Forks Township Community Center - "wall to wall" people early this morning.

Forks Township Lutheran Church - One voter who appeared at 7 AM waited 1 hour, 40 minutes to cast her vote. Her husband, who arrived at 9 AM, tells me the parking lot was packed and the place was "mobbed" by 200 - 300 people wrapped around the church. He'll try again later.

Hellertown Assembly of God - At 10:40 AM, a voter was unable to get into the parking lot. People are just parking in driveways and walking to vote. He's currently standing in line outside the church. He is #400 of 1,300 registered voters in his precinct, and tells me that turnout might be 80 to 85% before the day is out.

South Whitehall Township - one hour wait at 7 AM, although line is diminished by 8 AM.

Allentown's Good Shepherd - 25 minute wait at 8:15 AM.

Lopactong, N.J. - voting is steady, but not heavy.
Updates:

11:11 AM Update:

Bushkill Township Elementary - Two voters went to Bushkill Elementary at 8 AM, where two different precincts vote. One woman stood in one of two unmarked lines for an hour, only to learn that she had been in the wrong line. She went to the other line, and only waited about 20 minutes there. The other voter tells me he'll be back later in the day.

Back to Hellertown Assembly of God - Twenty people waiting to vote inside and another twenty-five or so waiting outside. Hellertown voter tells me "a lot of the people standing in line are very unhappy." They don't say who they are voting for, but are complaining about the economy.

11:39 AM Update: AJ tells me he voted at East Hills in Bethlehem. He arrived at 7:25 AM, and waited about an hour before voting. He tells me there were a lot of first-time voters and a lot of people just left because of the long lines.

12:48 PM Update: AJ tells me lines are now one hour long at East Hills Middle School in Bethlehem. Alan Earshaw reports he was Voter #283 at 8:45AM in Macungie. Twenty people were in line behind him, and that's at a precinct with seven voting machines going. According to The Morning Call, there are long lines and many people are also casting provisional ballots.

14 comments:

Geoff Brace said...

I was voter 90 something (I want to say 97, but after waiting for 30 mins in line I was just happy to get my shot at the machine) at 9AM at the Salvation Army in Allentown (out of about 1100 registered). There was a line of 20-30 behind me. Lot's of challenges to ID's and discrepencies in the voting rolls. Two poll watchers and a lawyer. Just about everybody was being challenged (myself included). The judge of elections (some guy named Martin) was pretty much siding with the voter on every challenge.

Lots of people were excited to vote. Just about everybody in line with me was voting for the first time at this precinct.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Republicans must be praying for rain.

Geoff Brace said...

I couldn't tell from the poll watcher tags if they were partisan or not.

Blah Society said...

I should also add that there was a bake sale at EHMS where voters could purchase tasty treats while waiting in line. (Proceeds benefit kids with cancer and/or research)

Anonymous said...

Voter #283 at 8:45 am in Macungie Borough. About 20 people in line behind me. Seven voting machines going.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Thank you for your rerport, Alan. It looks like a very heavy turnout.

Blah Society said...

Correction Bernie, 12:48 - *over an hour.

Bernie O'Hare said...

oopsie. Thanks, AJ.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, looks like the voter lines are a preview of the soup lines we'll get with BHO-Pelosi-Reid triumvirate.

1-1.5 hours in Forks seems to be the norm. Guess they want change from their upscale suburban lifestyle.

Be careful what you wish for because sometimes you get it.

Chad Hogg said...

At Notre Dame of Bethlehem I was in and out in 20 minutes around 10:00am. I also had the unpleasant experience of there being two lines for, I presume, two different voting wards, and no signage. Thankfully, there were only a few dozen people in the building. I think I was voter #280, but I do not know how many are registered there.

Anonymous said...

JCC (22nd Tilghman):
In at 9:40 AM, out by 10:10 AM
Voter #222
I think there are around 1,800 registered there (2 Districts)

Anonymous said...

County Of Lehigh Voting Results:

http://www.lehighcounty.org/voter/elect.cfm?doc=catlist.cfm&id=17&bg=1

OR

Google:
Lehigh County Government Voter Registration

Anonymous said...

Northampton County will be hindered by the politizing of the Election Office by John Stoffa.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Your inability to spell is what hinders me.