BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Campaign volunteers outnumbered voters across the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday as Pennsylvania’s primary election got underway.
At Fearless Fire Company in Allentown, where voters for the city’s 1st and 2nd districts cast their ballots, there were less than 20 votes cast for both districts, election officials said about 9 a.m.
- Many polling places were quiet early Tuesday
- Forecasts are calling for partly sunny skies and highs near 80 degrees
- Polls close at 8 p.m.
But that turnout was robust compared to the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, where not one voter had shown up before 8 a.m., poll workers said.
It was a sign, perhaps, of how the day will play out in these municipal elections, where turnout is historically low.
Miriam Rodriguez, 22, was a first-time voter in Allentown. She expected a line and was surprised at the low turnout. Registering was a pretty easy process, she said, adding it’s important to be involved locally.
Other voters echoed the same sentiment.
“I want to leave a better world for [my nieces],” said Consuelo Almodovar. “It’s important that we do this.”
Almodovar said she votes in every election, and residents who complain about politics should “vote for who you want to see make change.”
At Ag Hall in Allentown, where there are four districts, only 91 voters had shown up by 10 a.m., and former Mayor Ray O'Connell was among them. He said he was surprised at the low turnout, but said it’ll hopefully pick up for the evening voters. “Vote and complain,” he said. “If you don’t want to vote, you can’t complain.”
At Union Terrace Elementary in the city's 18th Ward, 1st District, only 44 voters had come through by 11 a.m.
In Easton, turnout also light
In Easton, longtime Mayor Sal Panto Jr. faces a challenge in the Democratic primary from Councilman Peter Melan, and seven Democrats are seeking nomination to three seats that will be open on city council.
“The turnout of candidates and supporters has been a little more than voters; it’s been slow at this point,” said Jill Piperata, judge of election at the Easton Area Neighborhood Center – one of 15 polling places in the city.
The precinct’s judge of election since 2007, Piperata said no excuse mail-in balloting introduced in 2020 has heavily influenced the number of people who show up in person to vote.
While just 17 voters cast ballots in person in the first 90 minutes after the polls opened Tuesday, a total of 119 people who are registered at that polling place voted by mail, Piperata said. In all, that precinct has 1,807 registered voters.
“The (municipal) primary tends to be on the lighter side,” Piperata said. “Of course in a presidential primary we’ll see much more.”
About 800 voters cast ballots in the last presidential primary and about 1,200 in the 2020 presidential election, according to Piperata. If Tuesday morning was an indicator, this election’s turnout will fall far short of that.
In the last municipal primary four years ago, 287 people cast ballots at the neighborhood center, Piperata said.
She said the precinct’s two electronic voting machines and five pollworkers would be plenty to accommodate voters Tuesday.
“I’ve been blessed,” she said. “We have a good team. We try to keep it upbeat. We make a big deal out of first-time voters. Everybody claps. It’s nice. Because we want people to keep coming back.”
At New Creation United Church of Christ in Palmer Township, the story was much the same. Thirty-three people had voted by 9:15 a.m.; voters were few and far between in the early hours.
“Turnout has been light,” said Sandra Cooke, the judge of election.
Slow start, but sunny skies
Tuesday’s primary is shaping up to be a banner weather day for the region, with highs around 80 degrees under partly sunny skies.
In fact, the National Weather Service says the only adverse weather conditions we might see are high clouds over the entire area, increasing this afternoon.
A southwest to west wind is expected to increase to 10 to 15 mph, with gusts of 20 to 25 mph, the latest forecast discussion says. It likely will cause temperatures to reach well into the 70s, with some spots reaching 80 degrees.
The primary
Polls are open until 8 p.m., barring unforeseen court rulings that would extend that time.
On the statewide ticket, both Republicans and Democrats will have a chance to pick their party’s nominee for the state Supreme Court.
Voters in suburban Philadelphia are also set to decide party control of Pennsylvania’s state House of Representatives with their pick to replace a Democrat who resigned.
Democrat Heather Boyd, a former congressional and state legislative aide, faces Republican Katie Ford, a military veteran, school volunteer and behavioral therapist, in the special election.
If Ford wins, and if Republicans hold on to a central Pennsylvania seat as widely expected in a second special election on Tuesday, the chamber will flip to GOP control.
But local races are the flavor of the day, and our politics reporter on Monday offered a breakdown of local government functions and the stakes on which voters will weigh in this primary and in the general election in November.
If you missed any of our previews, you can find a breakdown of all the municipal races.
Check back this evening for full election results.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
