New Haven Independent

A steady stream of voters passed through a steady rain Tuesday morning to vote in Ward 25, home of one of two contested aldermanic races being watched Tuesday across an otherwise somnolent city Tuesday. The voters passed Mayor John DeStefano, too, who stood alongside Democratic Alderwoman Ina Silverman, who faces a spirited challenge from Republican Tom Malone.

Westville’s Ward 25 and East Rock’s Ward 10, two of the city’s traditionally highest-turnout wards, hosted the two races. In Ward 10, Democrat Ed Mattison was defending his set against Green Allan Brison.

Meanwhile, voters citywide cast ballots in a three-way mayoral race. Click here for a round-up of the elections, the issues, and polling places.

As usual, the Edgewood polling site saw a large turnout for the ever-popular PTA bake sale, which gets bigger every November. At one of several tables, Larie Bennett-Campbell (pictured above) presided over a full ballot’s worth of soup choices. Five in all, including chicken and asparagus, carrot and dill, and Georgia Hot and rice.

Meanwhile the action was slower across town at Fair Haven’s Atwater Senior Center, polling for the 14th Ward. Here’s Katherine Welch, of Atwater Street, going just a short distance from home to the center near the corner of Grand. She appeared a little lonely around 9 a.m. She was the only voter in sight outside the center. Then, when she entered, she was the only voter inside.

Why did she bother to vote on such a rainy morning, but particularly in a very not-hot, uh, soggily-contested election?

“Oh,” she said with a sigh, “I guess I’m just old fashioned and I do what I think is right to do.”

Inside, the volunteer staff had plenty of time to show a reporter the new bubble voting system. Pictured on the left, local wood carver John Bontatibus was volunteering as the assistant registrar for the ward. Ad the moderator in charge of the operation is Kevin Arnold. The current alder, Erin Sturgis-Pascale, is running uncontested. The mayoral election does technically have three candidates, though not much of a visible organized campaign beyond the incumbent’s.

“Between the rain and the non-competitiveness of the election,” said Arnold, “turnout is very slow.” He estimated that between the poll site’s opening at 7:30 and 9 a.m. this morning there were perhaps 65 voters.

The plus side is that the voter is overwhelmed with helpfulness on the part of the many volunteers like Bontatibus and Arnold, who check you off on the lists, explain to you the new ballot’s features, give you directions in how to use the to fill in the oval just so, not with a dot or an x but just as indicated. OK?

That certainly makes a voter feel that his or her vote counts. But where is everyone else? How many cheers for democracy does this merit?

Over in East Rock’s Ward 10, which had a much steadier stream of activity, voters were greeted with a full Democratic hospitality tent, complete with heaters, cookies and corn bread. Democrats like Renee Chatham (pictured) were “Making Voting America’s Pastime” by serving chili dogs.