Turnout high as voters make their choices

Lines form early on Election Day

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by REID SILVERMAN Despite rain on Election Day, voters lined up first thing in the morning to cast their vote for the presidential race. Above, long lines were seen at several locations, including Great Mills High School where Rachel Dombrowski waited with many others. St. Mary's election results can be found at www.somdnews.com. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story Click here to enlarge this photo Heavy voter turnout causes voters to park along Route 4 at St. Andrew's Church as Kelly Thomas makes her way back to her vehicle. Click here to enlarge this photo Below, Clare Whitbeck gives approval to another supporter for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) outside of Leonardtown High School.

Voter turnout in St. Mary's was strong Tuesday morning for the presidential race between Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz). Several precincts saw lines of eager voters when the polls opened at 7 a.m.

By 11 a.m. the board of elections reported that voter turnout was around 30 percent across St. Mary's, with turnout topping 34 percent at Esperanza Middle School and at Ridge Volunteer Fire Department four hours into the 13-hour voting day.

The polls were scheduled to close at 8 p.m., after press time.

After 3 p.m Tuesday, turnout was more than 50 percent at Piney Point Elementary School and Leonardtown Middle School.

Brenda Burch, supervisor of elections, said she would not be surprised if total voter turnout in St. Mary's reached between 80 and 90 percent. There are 61,677 registered voters locally.

"These totals are high, high, high," she said as she reviewed the raw figures that were phoned in by election judges.

Voter turnout in St. Mary's County was at 71 percent in the 2004 presidential election and 62 percent in 2000. Voter turnout reached 83 percent in the 1964 presidential election.

According to the 11 a.m. figures, the early turnout was heavily Democratic precinct by precinct except at Leonardtown Middle School, the Valley Lee firehouse and at St. Andrew's Church.

About 42 percent of registered voters in St. Mary's are Democrats, 39 percent are Republicans and 17 percent are unaffiliated or with other parties.

At Margaret Brent Middle School, 215 voters came through in 45 minutes Tuesday morning. There were similar figures at the Mechanicsville firehouse.

Burch said her office expected the deluge of voters first thing in the morning, with long lines. "We anticipated it would be," she said.

And after regular work hours, "I think you're going to see long lines" again, she said.

At St. Andrew's Church in California, voters parked along Route 4 as far away as St. Andrew's Estates. At one point, a sheriff's deputy had to be dispatched to direct the traffic there. A deputy was also at the board of elections in Leonardtown as part of security.

The close of voting was extended by 90 minutes in Maryland during February's primary election because of ice storms in some parts of the state.

As voter turnout numbers were reported Tuesday, some election workers were still taking calls from people who didn't know in what precinct they were supposed to vote, even though sample ballots were mailed out in October explaining that.

jbabcock@somdnews.com