Heavily for Clinton, Dot voters wanted it over

In Savin Hill, the bellwether precinct where Clinton supporters outmatched Trump, 897-302, a steady trickle of voters walked up the dark steps to vote in the Cristo Rey high school library on Tuesday evening. Some said they felt prepared, having done their research on the ballot questions and candidates in the weeks before.

Rachel Hardy, 26, said she needed to get in her vote around her work schedule, setting aside time in the evening after her shift.

She voted for Clinton— “I think she’s the safer bet,” Hardy said— but didn’t know there was a fifth question on the ballot, voting no on the Community Preservation Act.

Several voters said the process was simple, the location uncrowded. With multiple candidates running unopposed, some just voted down the ballot out of habit.

Though not outright pleased with his presidential options, 53-year-old Cliff Dufresne said, “I voted for Hillary, because Trump is a lunatic.” He expressed misgivings about Clinton’s ability to govern effectively because of Republican obstructionism.

“See what they did with Obama, and with the Supreme Court,” Dufresne said. “For eight months they wouldn’t hold a hearing; they’re not going to do anything with her.”

He felt the tax-surcharge CPA was reasonable. Voting against the slots parlor and legalized marijuana, Dufresne also came down against the cage-free eggs question. It seemed likely to “raise costs for the average consumer,” he said. “Food’s expensive enough as it is.”

There were no lines at all on Tuesday evening at Florian Hall, where some voters brought their young children along with them to the polls.

A ten-year-old girl named Taryn accompanied her mother to the polls. She will not be able to cast a ballot for another eight years, but she said that if she had been able to vote this cycle she would not know who to vote for President.

“I don’t like either of them,” Taryn said.

She doesn’t like what she sees on television,” her mother explained.

John and Kathy Marklis said that they were glad to cast their ballots and be done with this election.
“We always fight about politics. But, we made it through this election, we can make it though another 20 years of marriage,” Kathy Marklis joked.

They said that they agreed on all five of the ballot questions, but disagreed on the top of the ticket.
“I am hoping that tomorrow, the country is happy. She is going to get indicted and he is a lunatic. But everyone will be glad that it’s finally over,” said John Marklis.

Many hopeful voters were disappointed to learn that Massachusetts does not have same-day registration.

Vu Thang, who was not registered to vote, came to Florian Hall in the hope of casting a ballot for Donald Trump saying that he “wants to see a change.”

Outside the polling location, volunteers from both sides of Question 2 urged voters to consider the consequences of voting either way.

Christopher Martell and his wife Erin Hashimoto-Martell brought their two daughter to polls to hold “No on 2” signs. Martial said that his daughter goes to the Kenny School and he and his wife are both of the parent council.

Daphne Lawson, an organizer with Great Schools MA, has two students at the Kipp Academy.

“A lot of people are tired of how the BPS handles money and their kids not knowing what they are supposed to know,” Lawson said.


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