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Students cast votes, react to results
After waiting 80 days, with a ballot of 135 gubernatorial candidates, Californians finally had their day at the polls. The expected voter turnout for a general election is normally about 55 to 60 percent, but Tuesday it was expected to be at least 15 percent higher. In Fresno County alone, more than 86,000 absentee ballots were sent out with a return rate of 63 percent. Some attribute the popularity of the recall to the made-for-television candidates involved . “ The average person can relate better to these candidates,” said Fresno State student Jordan Gilbert. Others attribute it to the uniqueness of a recall election, this being the second recall of our nation’s history, and the problems that have plagued California in the last year. “ [The recall] needed to be done,” said liberal arts student Jessica Jaus. The mood at the Wesley United Methodist Church polling station, at the intersection of Barstow and Fourth, was quiet and professional. By 6:30 p.m. the poll workers were tired from a long day of polling. According to poll worker Lorraine Corcker, who has been involved in elections for 10 years, it was a very slow day. The station had ballots for 700 people, but with an hour and a half left before the polls closed only 106 had voted. “ The voters have been very friendly,” Corcker said. According to Corcker, voters did not seem too excited about the election. “ They just seem to be going through the motions,” Corcker said. Jim Graham, 60, of Fresno, is a big supporter of the recall election. He cast his vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger. When asked why he voted for Schwarzenegger, Graham said, “Because he’s the lesser of the three evils.” There was a different atmosphere at the University Presbyterian Church as more voters streamed in to cast their votes. Located at the corner of Cedar and Roberts, the polling station of the 172nd and 182nd precincts was busy all day. According to poll worker Raul Camarillo, there was a higher student turnout than in past elections. “ People have taken interest in the issues,” Camarillo said. So many people came to vote at the location that workers ran out of “I Voted” stickers that they were passing out to voters. At the closing of the polls, the final count showed Schwarzenegger with 259 votes and Bustamante with 130. Neither Proposition 53 nor 54 passed at the location. On Tuesday the polls were open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Different precincts dealt with different ballot machines. Fresno County used the electronic ballot machines. Precinct workers kept busy during the afternoon assisting voters while staying away from news media outlets. — Jane Chew, Amanda Souza, Mitchell Peters, Tony Montes, Lian Wong and Michelle Melikian contributed to this report. |
