Reply #17: PA- Voters might need to wait in line longer [View All]

[Melissa G]

Voters might need to wait in line longer
Posted by Express-Times staff April 22, 2008 09:01AM
Categories: Breaking News, Elections, Lehigh Valley Live, Pennsylvania

Live from Northampton County polling places...

Terrance Hand, 38, of Easton and his wife, Lisa, say they are not party people, but candidate people and both lived by that belief this morning when voting at New Life Pentecostal Church on College Hill. Hand, a Naval Academy graduate, remained a Republican for the primary, sticking with John McCain, a fellow Navy alum who spoke at Hand's graduation. Lisa Hand, on the other hand, switched to the Democrats to cast a ballot for Barack Obama. "Obama has until November to change my mind," Terrance Hand said. But his wife added, "After seeing the debates ... I felt like I wanted to have a vote count in the primary" and she added that she was inspired by Obama.

Retired Rabbi Jonathan Gerard, 60, of Easton, was concerned -- as were many voters -- that there was just one electronic voting machine in the polling place, where for years there had been two mechanical machines. Poll workers said it was because Northampton County went from 600 uncertified machines to 300 machines from a different vendor. Voting was considerably slower than normal, in a primary in which there were several people lined up outside the polling place before it opened at 7. Many of the voters at the Burke and Cattell street church will be students, Gerard said, adding that he registered many of them to vote. "They will be forced to make a choice" between waiting in line and getting to class. Gerard figures lines favor older voters, thus giving Hillary Clinton a possible advantage.
Express-Times Photo | TIM WYNKOOPBoth Democratic candidates for president were represented in Centre Square, hoping to sway voters who hadn't yet visited their polling places. Get in line to vote until 8 tonight.
Easton Constable Pete Cochran, 55, remained a Republican this time around, saying McCain is the "most electable" of the GOP, although Cochran favors Mike Huckabee, who he calls "a better candidate, but not electable." "Don't expect the Democrats to win the general election," Cochran predicted, adding disappointment with a Bush administration he helped elect. "I think McCain won't be business as usual. I think that will be a change from the Bush administration."

http://blog.pennlive.com/lvbreakingnews/2008/04/voters_might_need_to_wait_in_l.html