Voter Response Tepid in Uncontested Election

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. – Voter turnout in Pound Ridge Tuesday was pretty much what one would expect for what is primarily an uncontested election.

As of around 1 p.m., less than 10 percent of area residents had come to the polls. At the polling station at the Pound Ridge firehouse on Westchester Avenue, 88 of the 795 district voters had cast a ballot.

“It’s pretty much what we expected for an unopposed race,” said Election Inspector Charles Wade.

Karen Janiga, another election inspector, said voter turnout had been “pretty steady,” with voters coming in in a “slow, steady trickle.”

“We are getting more voters now than we did for the primary in September,” she noted.

Election officials said the primary incentive for voters to come out was the county legislator race, which pitted incumbent Democrat Peter Harckham against Republican challenger Peter Michaelis. But on the local level, Supervisor Gary Warshauer (R), Councilman Richard Lyman (R) and newcomer Ali Boak (D) will all be elected to the town board without a challenge. Town Clerk Joanne Pace and Town Justice Regina Kelly also ran unopposed.

Many voters were also faced with the task of using the new optical scanning machines for the first time. Wade that that while the machines were functioning correctly, some voters were having trouble operating them.

“We had about five circumstances where we had to re-issue a new ballot,” he said.

Despite the fact that the local election was uncontested, Arlene Kaufman came out to cast a vote, as she does every election.

“I always vote no matter what,” she said. “I’ve been voting for 30 years. It’s just a good habit to get into.”

 Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Did you vote in an uncontested election? Join the conversation. Leave your comment below.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Pound Ridge and receive free news updates.