POLL PAINS

There was jubilance at the broad array of Democratic choices for mayor at some polling places yesterday, but mainly there was irritation at the long waits to get into the voting booth.

A large ballot was blamed, since turnout appeared to be only moderate, despite a beautiful day.

The top Election Court issue involved ballots being passed out to voters that lacked the required notice of who had paid for the material.

Four complaints were filed with the court.

Typical of the complaints was an incident at Church of the Annunciation, Carpenter Lane and Lincoln Drive, in the 22nd Ward, Mount Airy, where an anonymous flier was being passed out to voters, labeled "Official Democratic Ballot," that named Tom Knox as the preferred choice for mayor.

The Democratic City Committee had endorsed Bob Brady.

But the problems, typical though they were, couldn't stop Democratic committeeman Irving Vaughn, an African American, from declaring at one 12th Ward polling place:

"People still look at race as an issue, but some people have moved beyond that.

"Now people are starting to think, he may not be black but maybe he'll be good for us.

"Maybe it doesn't matter if he's black or white, as long as he's for Philadelphia," he said.

All were not happy, however.

A judge of elections in a polling place at 4th and Catharine streets, South Philadelphia, said the long ballot kept some voters inside the booth 10 minutes or longer.

As a result, she said, some voters had to wait in line 45 minutes.

Many blamed the long waits on confusion over the large number of ballot questions.

"We have senior voters here and they had trouble with the ballot questions," said Veronica Drummond-Outlaw, a judge of elections in Mantua.*