Cranberry at the Polls: Election Workers Report Big Turnout

By 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, there already was a line of people ready to cast their votes waiting outside the Cranberry West I polling location at the Cranberry Highlands Golf Club, according to Sally Buchele, judge of elections at the location.

That’s even though the polls didn’t open until 7 a.m.

“This is the busiest we’ve been since the last presidential election,” she said.

By noon, close to 40 percent of the 2,270 registered voters in the Cranberry West I district had cast their votes, Buchele said. She added that’s already about twice as many people as the precinct typically gets in a non-presidential election year.

“We haven't had a dead space yet,” she said as lines continued to form inside the building. “It’s been wonderful.”

At the Cranberry East III polling location, one of three voting places located within the Cranberry Township Municipal Center, there was a small glitch in one of the voting machines that delayed the location’s opening by about 15 minutes, according to Dan Page, a Cranberry constable monitoring voting at the municipal center.

Page said there were about 100 people waiting in line outside the doors prior to the location’s opening. Most were undeterred by the delay, he said.

“Everyone in line was really nice about it,” he said.

Election workers at several locations in Cranberry reported brisk turnouts Tuesday. The township has nine polling places, which will remain open until 8 p.m.   

Longtime election worker Sandy Mullins said the Cranberry East III polling location has been busy, but that things were going smoothly

“This morning for the first hour, we were packed,” added Barbara Hull-Chelko, a first time election worker at the Cranberry Municipal Center. “I’m glad to see people turning out to vote.”

Pennsylvania voters are being asked, but not required, to show an acceptable photo identification on Election Day.

All photo IDs must contain an expiration date that is current, unless noted otherwise, according the state’s board of elections website. Voter’s names on their photo IDs do not need to exactly match their voter registration, but the names must substantially conform. 

Those voting in person for the first time Nov. 6 will be required to show approved forms of ID (either photo or non-photo). This is a requirement of the federal Help America Vote Act passed in 2004.

At the Cranberry Highlands Golf Club, Buchele said there haven’t been any issues with people producing their identification.

“Most people are very willing to show their ID,” she said. “Not everyone has, but there have been no problems at all.”

What Voters Say

Voters at the Cranberry polling locations were firm in their opinions on who should win the presidential election. Ellen DiMarzio said she was voting for Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

“I feel we are at a turning point in this country and I did not like what happened in the last four years," she said. "I’m worried for what will happen if Obama is reelected,”

Standing line in front of DiMarzio, Joel Guy, a military veteran, said he was voting to give President Barack Obama another four years.

“At least I know what’s going to happen,” he said of voting for Obama.

What has your voting experience been like? Who do you think will win the presidential election? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!