As I said two weeks ago, every election is important. Off year elections traditionally have low turnout and that's just sad. The people on the ballot are your neighbors-- your council members, mayors, and school directors. Like it or not, they have a big influence on the way you live your life-- especially when it comes to the amount of taxes you pay.
In Lackawanna County, where I live, voters have the capability of reshaping their government with several questions on the ballot.
It looks like a busy day. A couple "big race" preview stories were written last week. They were tweaked and edited over the weekend. You'll see them on Newswatch 16 This Morning beginning at 4:30 AM.
I'll likely do a turn out story for noon, and vote on my way home from work.
The night crew has the task of getting the numbers and the reaction on the air. There's a special prime time broadcast on WNEP2, and a wrap up on Newswatch 16 Wednesday Morning.
Don't forget about our Twitter feed, @wnep and WNEP.com.
If I get a moment or two, there will be blog updates today, and a wrap up some time tomorrow morning.
I have my thoughts on what I think will happen today and tonight. I'll keep them to myself today, and critique my predictions tomorrow.
Again, vote. It's important.
>>>10:40 AM UPDATE I visited polling places in Scranton, Moosic, Olyphant, and two in Jessup. Turnout is light. The Lackawanna County ballot questions seem to be generating the most interest among the few people at the polls.
The "Fix Lackawanna" people seem extremely well funded and organized. I stopped by their downtown Scranton headquarters this morning. It looks like they have everything they need to make it work. "Fix Lackawanna" volunteers are at every polling place I visited.
My noon piece has been edited, and it's back on the road in a few minutes.
>>>3:30 PM UPDATE Photographer Paul and I went to Taylor for our noon live shot. It didn't look busy, but poll workers said turnout was "okay." My noon story was focused on the government study question-- a tough one to explain in a minute and a half. At times like this, I envy my friends in print. I spoke with Corey O'Brien, Lackawanna County Commissioner this morning. He thinks passage of the referendum is fait accompli, and O'Brien hopes the commission gives all options a fair shake. I spoke with a member of "Fix Lackawanna" afterward. I got the feeling she just wants to toss out the current system, before the first meeting.
I voted on the way home. Being an Independent, I could vote only for the ballot questions and government study commission members. I was voter 124 in my ward. Turnout was a little heavier than I thought, but my little town has hotly contested mayor, council and school board races.
I've complained about this before, but I really hate running the gauntlet of candidates and their volunteers, bombarding me with cards and assorted other paper. My mind was made up long ago.
Let's take a break and wait for the numbers.
