Politics & Government

Heavy Voter Turnout, Democratic Sweep in Lower Merion and Narberth

Local candidates' wins followed those of President Barack Obama and several key statewide office-seekers.

Four Democratic incumbents and a newcomer on Tuesday swept the local races for U.S. House of Representatives and Pennsylvania General Assembly.

With 100 percent of Montgomery County precincts and 97 percent of Pennsylvania precincts reporting, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, Sen. Daylin Leach, Rep. Tim Briggs and Rep. Pam DeLissio were re-elected. Mary Jo Daley was elected to succeed Rep. Mike Gerber.

Lower Merion and Narberth voters turned out in volumes that appeared to rival the 72 percent and 70 percent respective turnouts in 2008's presidential election.

Find out what's happening in Narberth-Bala Cynwydwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In Daley's race for the 148th general assembly seat, 73 percent of registered voters cast ballots. In Briggs' race for the 149th, it was 68 percent.

The township and borough, both with significant Democratic majorities, voted heavily for Democrats from the re-elected President Barack Obama on down the ticket.

Find out what's happening in Narberth-Bala Cynwydwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For more details on the outcomes:

  • President Barack Obama is re-elected
  • Fattah re-elected
  • Leach re-elected
  • Briggs re-elected
  • DeLissio re-elected
  • Daley elected to succeed Gerber 

Results

U.S. Representative, District 2

Chaka Fattah (D) 299,567 Robert Allen Mansfield (R) 31,466 Jim Foster (I) 4,209

PA Senate District 17

Daylin Leach (D) 76,007 Charles Henry Gehret (R) 44,132

PA Representative, District 148

Mary Jo Daley (D) 20,830 Mike Ludwig (R) 14,759

PA Representative, District 149

Tim Briggs (D) 20,358 Perry Hamilton (R) 10,604

PA Representative, District 194

Pam DeLissio (D) 19,645 Linda Wolfe Bateman (R) 5,975

 

Polls

7 p.m. Lower Merion School District Administration Building—As of 7 p.m., 775 voters out of about 1,000 had voted in Ward 5 Precinct 2. In Ward 5 Precinct 3, which also votes at the administration building, 1,035 voters had cast their ballots, though elections judge Joe Breidenstein didn’t have the total number of registered voters on hand.

The precinct, Breidenstein said, had a strong morning turn out that was lighter in the afternoon, but overall, a “very enthusiastic electorate.”

“I would encourage people to be more involved in the elections process,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun and you meet your neighbors.”

6:15 p.m. Penn Valley Elementary School— As of 6:15 p.m., 600 registered voters, plus 90 absentees, have voted in Ward 1 Precinct 1, election officials report. In Ward 1 Precinct 2, also voting at Penn Valley Elementary, 1,026 of about 1,600 registered voters have voted, along with 30 absentees. A big school bake sale is also going on in the lobby.

5 p.m. Bala Gymnasium— Philly.com reports that tensions were high today at Bala Gymnasium, where Democrats alleged that judge of elections Bill Ash, a Republican, had turned away several voters who should have been given provisional ballots. The voters, while not registered in the precinct, were registered elsewhere in Montgomery County; Ash's decision was apparently supported by Montgomery County director of voter services Joseph Passarella, according to Philly.com. Read the full article.

3:50 p.m. Merion Tribute House— By 3:45 p.m., about 60 percent of voters in both Ward 12 precincts 1 and 2 had voted, according to elections judges Lynne Hunter and Louise Haneman.

"This precinct votes for everything," Haneman said of 12-2, her precinct, predicting that 80 to 85 percent of registered voters would vote by 8 p.m.

"When we came in here to turn the lights on at 6:20, there were already 10 people waiting outside."

3:30 p.m. Bala Cynwyd Middle School—Ward 13 precinct 2 has had 675 of 1,274 registered voters vote today, not counting 110 absentee ballots. In 13-3, it's 492 of 1,096 voters, plus 75 absentee ballots. There are no lines in the late afternoon.

David Sonnenthal, 13-3's elections judge with 18 years experience, said turnout is comparable to 2008's general election.

Many people have refused to show voter identification when asked, Sonnenthal added—about half of them out of principle and half because of the inconvenience. He reported no voting problems at the school.

1:15 p.m. Narberth borough hall—Supporters of both major parties outside Narberth borough hall said turnout had been heavy. The south end has had about 280 of 700 voters come through, elections judge Eli Holtman said. He reported no problems with machines or the voter-ID question: clerks have to ask, but voters need not show.

12:15 p.m. Harriton High School—Lower Merion Commissioner Lew Gould, a Republican, was speaking with voters at Harriton. He and an elections official reported that more than a third of voters from the two precincts stationed here have come through so far. More than 50 were lined up when the doors opened at 7 a.m., Gould said. He added, "There's no one that's undecided."

11:45 a.m. St. Christopher's Church, Gladwyne—About 300 of 900 registered voters have cast ballots at St. Christopher's Church in Gladwyne, elections judge Mickey Shumway said. She reported shorter early-morning lines than in 2008, and no major poll controversies so far.

Road closures that persist throughout Bryn Mawr and Gladwyne, an effect of Hurricane Sandy bringing down trees and power lines, complicated polling-place trips for some.

11:15 a.m. Belmont Hills Library—Turnout is beating 2008 figures at Belmont Hills Library, elections judge John Maley said. About half of the precinct's 700-some registered voters had cast ballots by 11:15 a.m.

Merle Zucker, a Democrat in Bala Cynwyd, reports heavy morning turnout, also about half of all registered voters, from the St. Matthias Church precinct.

10:15 a.m. First Baptist Church of Ardmore—Line is moving slow but steady. Expect about a 10-minute wait. Ample street parking on E Athens Ave, though St. Pauls Road is full. By 10 a.m., more than 200 people had voted at First Baptist Church of Ardmore.

Commissioner Steve Lindner was outside greeting voters.

Election judge Carla Wright said the only real issue this morning has been that a number of voters—who previously voted at Torah Academy and now vote at United Methodist Church on Argyle Road—have mistaken First Baptist Church for their polling location.

So far, Wright said, only one person had been without proper photo identification as of 10 a.m. Voter ID is not required for this election—there are signs outside of First Baptist reminding voters of that fact—but poll workers still ask residents to show it. They may decline and still vote.

9 a.m. Penn Wynne/Overbrook Fire Company— Over 200 people had already voted at Penn Wynne/Overbrook Fire Company by 9 a.m., according to poll workers. Commissioner Rick Churchill was outside to greet voters.

While everyone poll worker Adam Tuttle spoke with seemed to be aware of the Voter ID Law, a number of voters on Tuesday morning refused to show their ID when asked, responding that they don't support the Voter ID legislation, Tuttle said.

Voter ID is not required for this election, but poll workers still ask residents to show it.

7:15 a.m. Main Line Reform Temple— Republican candidate for the 149th District Perry Hamilton arrived at his polling location, Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood, shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday to greet voters and cast his own vote.

***

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and don’t close until 8 p.m. If you want to check on where

Identification

Poll workers may ask you for a valid photo ID but you are not required to present photo ID to vote in this election.

If you do not provide the requested ID, you will be given information on the requirements for voting in 2013.


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