State Primary Election is September 19; 3 ballots, little competition
Published on September 13th, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - "In the future everybody will vote on the Internet," said Town Clerk John Hanright.
But for the State Primary Election on Sept. 19, Hanright says Stoneham's Accu-Vote machines are "the latest technology approved by the state." This election is the debut of the Accu-Vote system, four computerized ballot counters that cost the town $40,000 and a new ballot format (filling in ovals instead of connecting lines).
On the 19th townspeople can check out the new equipment while exercising their democratic prerogative from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall. But choices are few with only two contested races out of a possible 24.
The entire Libertarian ballot lists just one candidate in one race, Carla Howell of Wayland for U.S. Senate.
Unopposed Republican candidates are running for four of the eight offices.
The only primary race is on the Democratic ballot. Below the instructions saying to "vote for one" there is at least one name for each office, and for Clerk of Courts and Register of Probate voters will find two and nine names respectively.
Putting on this show costs the Town $9,000 for police, fire and public works details and election workers.
"I want to reinforce the importance of exercising your right to vote," Hanright said.
Hanright has worked to make the voting process more efficient with the new machines and more appealing to voters by rerouting voter traffic at the polls.
Everyone still votes at Town Hall. But voters from precinct 1 & 2 enter through the first of three doors at the front of the building. Voters from 2 & 3 go in the second door, and 3 & 4 the third. Hanright says the simple system prevents frustrating pedestrian bottlenecks entering the polls.
"Like herding cattle," said Franklin Street resident and political watchdog John DeGeorge.
DeGeorge said he was interested in the contested races for the Nov. 7 General Election, but as for the primaries...
"Hey, what the heck can you say? 'We have a primary if you care to stop by,'" DeGeorge joked.
But he'll vote. All the serious enemies and champions of the system will.
Reminder
Voters who are unenrolled, meaning registered without party affiliation, can vote in any one primary. Doing so in the Sept. 19 State Primary does not automatically enroll the voter in that party as it did in the Presidential Primary.
Contested rac
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