Pols urge midday voting
The adage says "vote early" and, for the cynical, "vote often." Gov. Rendell and Mayor Nutter want you to change the first part and forget the second.
The adage says "vote early" and, for the cynical, "vote often."
Gov. Rendell and Mayor Nutter want you to change the first part and forget the second.
With record Election Day turn-out expected today, they are pushing for midday voting to ease long lines at polling paces in the morning and evening. Rendell, who will give up his usual early-morning voting to cast his ballot in East Falls between noon and 1 p.m., said to expect lines.
"We're as ready as we can be, but expect delays," he said.
The city has been urging the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to tell its members to allow employees to vote at midday.
"From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the loneliest place to be is at a polling place," Nutter joked.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham also gathered reporters yesterday to discuss election concerns, saying that voters should find an up side to a long line.
"Use this as a social experiment to get to know people in your community," she said. "But don't expect the lines to move quickly."
A federal judge has ordered that paper ballots be distributed if half the voting machines in a precinct break down today, Abraham noted. This election, she predicted, will be the first big test of how the machines perform.
"There has been some concern that these gee-whiz election voting machines are not as gee-whiz as they appear to be, and they may not count your vote carefully or correctly," said Abraham, adding that voters should review their ballot before pressing the button to cast their ballot.
Abraham hopes that a record voter turnout will prompt the state to consider relaxing the conditions under which people can apply to vote by absentee ballot.
"It really is a hassle," Abraham said of the regulations. *
