Election staff prepared with backup plans for primary
The 30% voter turnout in Butler County for the municipal election last year led Karen Willison, a poll worker, to expect another year of good turnout for the primary Tuesday, April 23. However, voters walked into the Community Alliance Church only intermittently throughout the morning.
“This year is a lot slower than I thought,” said Willison, who has worked the polls in Butler County for several years. “It’s very unusual for a general election year.”
While people may not have been waiting in line to vote Tuesday, the Butler County Bureau of Elections was in good shape with staff and technology, with Chantell McCurdy, the bureau’s director, saying there was only one snag with a ballot scanner, which was handled.
Prior to Election Day, the bureau made an emergency move of the polling place in Petrolia because of flooding in the area last week. That was the only move this year, according to McCurdy.
“For our poll workers who work at the precincts, we are fully staffed. We even have some people on standby,” McCurdy said.
Election staffers worked out of the office at 227 W. Cunningham St. in Butler, and McCurdy said the bureau would be able to occupy even more of the space during the general election in November.
Poll workers at precincts, too, said they felt prepared for the long day ahead, including Willison, who said everyone who signed up to work was in attendance at her station.
Millie Pinkerton, of Butler, said she makes it a point to vote in every election, even when there are few contested races on the ballot. She also said that as a former poll worker, she was happy to see her polling place filled with staff as she voted Tuesday afternoon.
“We really have to get out and vote these days,” Pinkerton said. “We’re lucky here in Butler to have a very good (election) system.”
Stephen M. Sheptak, of Butler, also said he votes in every election. He said it is the least he could do as an American citizen.
“I do make it a point no matter what it is,” Sheptak said. “I make sure that at least I know I did what I could.”
