Results: A Day at the Polls in Lower Providence

National, State, Regional Elections Results

Results per the Montgomery County Unnoficial Results webpage:

The website reports that out of 554,870 voters in the county, 414,308 - 74.67 percent came out to vote. 394,361 catridge turnout and 19,947 absentee turnout.

Presidential Electors

• (R) Mitt Romney, 173,176 - 42.44-percent
• (D) Barack Obama, 230,493 - 56.49-percent
• (Green) Jill Stein, 1,170 - 0.29-percent
• (Libertarian) Gary Johnson - 3,205 - .079-percent

Total 408,044 votes.

United States Senator

• (R) Tom Smith, 163,502 - 40.80-percent
• (D) Bob Casey, Jr., 233,592 - 58.29-percent
• (Libertarian) Rayburn Smith, 3,679 - 0.92-percent

Total - 400,773 votes.

Attorney General

• (R) David Freed, 163,865 - 41.21-percent
• (D) Kathleen Kane, 229,530 - 57.72-percent
• (Libertarian) Marakay Rogers, 4,265 - 1.07-percent

Total 397,660 votes.

Representative in Congress District 6

• (R) Jim Gerlach, 40,883 - 54.26-percent
• (D) Manan Trivedi, 34,460 - 45.74-percent

Total - 75,343 votes.

Auditor General

• (R) John Maher, 177,925 - 45.48-percent
• (D) Eugene DePasquale, 207,421 - 53.01-percent
• (Libertarian) Betsy Summers, 5,912 - 1.51-percent

Total 391,258 votes.

State Treasurer

• (R) Diana Vaughn, 166485 - 42.58-percent
• (D) Robert McCord, 218,871 - 55.98-percent
• (Libertarian) Patricia Fryman - 5,593 - 1.43-percent

Total 390,949 votes.

Representative in the General Assembly District 150   

• (R) Mike Vereb, 16,588 votes - 54.29-percent
• (D) Kelly Devine 13,965 votes - 45.71-percent

Total - 30,554 votes.

Representative in the General Assembly District 157

• (R) Warren Kampf, 3,168 - 53.21-percent
• (D) Paul Drucker, 2,786 - 46.79-percent

Total - 5,954.

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A Day at the Polls in Lower Providence

As with every presidential election, voters came out to their respective polling places in large numbers.

Overall, poll workers across Lower Providence were pleased with the high voter turnout.

3-4 Shannondell

By 6:10 p.m., approximately 1,534 voters came out to the Shannondell poll. According to Dick Hammel, 3-4 judge of elections, a majority of the residents made up the voting population at 3-4.

“We still have some of the ‘Greatest Generation’ here,” Hammel said. “They take the ability to vote in a safe environment to heart, and they show up.”

3-3 Valley View Church

According to 3-3 polling officials, this is the largest voting precinct in the township with 2,318 total eligible voters. By 5:30 p.m., 1,427 votes have been accounted for.

“We are very happy with the turnout,” Gloria Cocoran, a Republican Committee volunteer of 24 years, said. “It’s nice to see people exercising their right to vote.”

“I think the good thing is a lot of Republicans are turning out,” Doug Hager, Area 4 Republican Committee Leader said, which encompasses parts of the Perkiomen Valley, Lower Providence and Worcester.

[Updated 11-7-12 for previous edition name error] Among the Democrat volunteers was Ann Russo, grandmother of PA Representative District 150 candidate Kelly Devine.

“I’m proud to be doing this for my granddaughter,” Russo, who has spent most of her day since 7 a.m., working at the 3-3 poll.

According to K-C Carolina, chairman of the Lower Providence Democratic Committee, as well as treasurer of the Montgomery County Democrat Committee, a Democrat poll worker reported to him that her mother, a senior citizen, saw an alleged discrepancy when she made her vote. Carolina said that he called the election officials at 3-3 when he was notified, later in the evening, at approximately 6:30 p.m. He said that the officials gave a full inspection of the voting booths.

“We’re doing everything we can to alert them about any possible discrepancies,” Carolina said.

Gail Hager, 3-3 judge of elections, said that they took the report very seriously.

“The whole [elections] board checked all four machines,” Hager said. “It was checked and double checked.”

According to Hager, there were no discrepancies found, and the final tallies would also be double-checked.

3-2 St. Andrews Church

By 5 p.m., the judge of elections reported that 672 voters had been accounted for, out of 1,150 eligible voters.

3-1 Audubon Elementary School

By 4:25 p.m.,  514 voters have been accounted for, out of 1,141, according to longtime Republican Committee member Nancy McFarland.

“All day it’s been steady here,” McFarland said. “In and out.”

Democrat poll worker volunteer and Lower Providence township tax collector Kirsten Deal, expressed ardent support for the election of her candidate, and said that she wanted to ensure all her friends and family voted.

“I’ve been encouraging strangers to get out and vote,” Deal said.

2-4 Eagleville Elementary School

By 4 p.m., the 2-4 judge of elections reported 604 voters out of 1,600 accounted for. She said that the voting has been going smoothly.

2-3 Lower Providence Township Community Center

By 3:15 p.m., 813 voters were accounted for, out of 1,708 eligible voters. According to the 2-3 judge of elections, Cathy Gear, 80-percent of eligible voters came out during the 2008 election, and expected a similar turnout for this year’s election.

She noted, at the time of this report, only 2 voters of the 813 counted so far, have complained about being asked for a photo-ID.

Outside, major political party volunteers and committee members shared the same space leading to the Lower Providence Township Community Center building, as a continuous flow of voters entered. Democrat Committee volunteer David Follett, pointed out that the partisan workers were even sharing the same bag of sugar for their coffees.

“It’s sweet when you have a nice high turnout,” Follett said.

“The time for animosity is over,” Janice Kearney, Republican Committee member, said. “We just want to get the votes in.”

Kearney, along with Follett, as well as one other Republican Committee poll worker, noted that the current location of 2-3 can become congested in its parking lot. Kearney said that she suggested had suggested an alternative polling place for the upcoming elections.

2-2 Lower Providence Township Building

By 2:35 p.m., the judge of elections reported that 677 voters have been accounted for, out of 1,553.

“We’re hoping for 1,200,” Robert Hottenstein, 2-2 judge of elections, said.

According to Judge of Elections for 2-2, Hottenstein, who was judging his first presidential election, voters were coming in high numbers.

He added that in the primaries, a total of 280 voters came out for those elections.

Garole Gaugher, Lower Providence Committee member, stood outside, fully bundled, handing out party literature. She said, as with most committee members and volunteers on both major parties working the polls outside their respective voting places, election day is a good opportunity to greet neighbors and friends.

“It’s good to see them smile,” Gaugher said of voters coming and going into the township building.

Among the smiling voters was Maura Mooney, 21, who exercised her right to vote for the first time.

“It’s the first big election I’ve been able to vote,” Mooney said. She added that she’s been paying particular attention to the various races, and wanted to have her perspective count. “I feel if I can have my opinion on it, I should at least put my say into it.”

2-1 Woodland Elementary School

By 2:09 p.m., 482 voters out of 1,154, had been accounted for. According to the judge of elections here, projected an 80-percent turnout. While voters were not required to show ID, they were still asked by poll workers. Those who didn’t show ID, were given a pamphlet, explaining more about the postponed Voter ID law, which states that showing photo identification will be mandatory in an upcoming election.

1-2 Arrowhead Elementary

By 12:45 p.m., Kristina O'Donell, Judge of Elections at 1-2 (Arrowhead Elementary) reported that over 669 voters cast their ballots. O'Donnell said that there are 1,823 total elligable voters in 1-2, and is impressed with the voter turnout so far.

"This year is the best year," she said.

She added that there have been no major issues at the 1-2 polls, but said that she had to remind some voters that photographs and other recording devices are not allowed in the poll area.

While pleased with this year's turnout, O'Donnell, who has been a judge of elections in over 16 general elections, reminds voters to come out to vote often.

"I keep telling people, 'The primary is how you get to the general," O'Donnell said.

She further reports that in 2008, there were 1,854 elligable voters with 1,433 coming out to vote.

Volunteers from both Democrat and Republican committees were also present.

Inside a democrat volunteer said it was great that everyone in the township could come out to vote.

"I'm glad it's a great turnout," she said. "I'm passionate about re-electing our president."

With the highs today only reaching 48 degrees, Republican committee volunteers stayed outside to hand out their literature.

"We don't need the heat, becuase we are fired up to win," Jennifer Giangiordano, said, addint that this is her first election to volunteer.

1-1  (I B E W LOCAL UNION 380)

By 11:45 a.m., the parking lot of Lower Providence voting place 1-1, located at the IBEW Local Union 380 in Collegeville, was packed.

Inside the IBEW building, people were quietly waiting in line, sometimes 15 - 20 people long. Although, lines were long, the verification process swiftly moved, and there were no reports of any voter-related issues.

A 1-1 official reported that there were over 650 people who voted by 11:45 a.m., with approximately 2,000 registered voters in this voting district.

Kim Bursner, a Republican Committee person for the last two years, said she was pleased with the turnout.

According to fellow committee member, Charles Mandracchia, who has worked the polls for the last 12 years, agreed that the voter turnout is expected to be great.

"At 7 a.m., [the lines were] out the parking lot," Mandracchia said. "By 7 p.m., I expect to be exhausted."