Tuesday’s election was an historic moment for America, and Issaquah and Sammamish residents didn’t miss out on the fun. Polling places were packed the moment they opened, and stations saw unprecedented numbers of voters cast their ballots. The presidential race wasn’t the only thing on people’s minds, though – local issues played a huge part in drawing out the crowds, as did the excitement of the polling station.
Doug Parr, an accessible voting unit judge at the Issaquah Community Church location, said by noon the station had already done triple what they normally would have done in a full day. He estimated a full day’s worth of voters in the past amounted to about 270 people, but this year, more than 600 ballots had been cast in five hours.
“I frankly did not expect this,” he said. “But it’s been great. The turnout has been amazing. It was so packed this morning that people were voting on every flat surface in the room.”
Marleen McGrath, precinct inspector at the Pine Lake Covenant Church location in Sammamish, also saw an influx of voters, and said there were 75 people in line when the polls opened at 7 a.m. She said the turnout was three times what it had been during the primaries.
But, along with the excitement of voting, there was a sense of wistfulness as Washington residents entered the voting booth for the last time.
“I would say there is a sadness to lose the experience of coming to the polls,” she said. “People will miss that excitement and that interaction.”
As poll workers geared up for the Tuesday election, Secretary of State Sam Reed predicted an 83 percent turnout statewide, which amounts to about 3 million people.
At the time of this publication, 1,780,126 votes had been counted out of 3,629,851 registered voters, which is about 49 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
For responses from more local voters, check our Web site. Here’s what three residents had to say about the election:
Issaquah Community Church
Melissa Stewart:
“People definitely had a heightened awareness of the election this year. Considering how historic the result is going to be, it’s exciting, and it makes me proud to cast my vote and be a part of that. The president, obviously, that’s a huge thing. But I’m also nervous about the Democrats being so encompassing and holding so many places, so I was really on the fence about a lot of the issues. Transportation was a big for me, along with the fire bond, and I always want to support them.”
Whitney and Shannon Woods:
Whitney: “This is my first time voting, so it was really exciting and there were so many important issues. The Death with Dignity thing was a big deal to me, and definitely the president, of course.
Shannon: Transit is important, for another thing. I think it’s really important to look for less expensive ways to move people other than fuel. We really need to become more invested in transit systems. And if John McCain wins, we’re moving to Canada.
Whitney: For real. We have duel citizenship.”
Ed Evatt:
“The governor’s race is really important, and so are a lot of the propositions. King County mass transit, I’m not so sure about. Their budget managing style has been outrageous in the past… I never saw a whole lot come from it. But this election has been wonderful. We’ve really enjoyed coming here. We’re on our lunch break today. Every year, we cast our ballots in the evening, when everything’s already pretty much decided. But this time, we decided we’re gonna be the early ones, which makes you feel like you have more of a say. And it’s just been amazing. You know, four or five years ago, if you’d have told me this was how this election was going to turn out, I’d say, wow. But it’s the dream of America. That’s what makes this election so special. No where else in the world could you do this.”
Gayle Evatt:
“Obviously, the president is a huge deal. And the governor is really important to me. And when it comes down to it, either way this election turns out, it’s going to be historical. You just never know what could happen.”
Pine Lake Covenant Church
Greg Taylor:
“This is my first election, so it’s been pretty exciting. There are a lot of important issues, definitely the economy, people’s rights, death with dignity, and spending. And obviously, the president. And they make it a pretty easy process. I had some trouble with my registration, but they helped me out and made it easy.”
Alaina Lee:
“The governor is the biggest one for me. This is my first time voting, and it’s been really exciting, but also really stressful, deciding what I think and who to vote for. I came here thinking I knew exactly, but then I read (the voter’s pamphlet) they hand out, and I didn’t know again.
But there are a lot of important issues, and it’s great to be able to have a say.”
Gale Menath:
“The economy is a huge issue, for sure. You know, this is the first time in 20 years I’ve been excited to come out and vote. It’s been so much fun, everyone is happy and looking forward to voting. It’s an exciting feeling, that everyone wants to see change. It was great. I’d vote again, if I could!”
Taylor Holsinger:
Well, the economy. Also, the person who will be choosing our legislative judges. It’s really important to have stability in this country, and someone who can really take the lead. (Race and gender) didn’t factor in for me at all. In fact, it worries me that some people may be thinking about that. It comes down to who is the best candidate to lead.
