Voting Ahead of Election Average

(Punchy? Some end-of-campaign clowning from spirited candidates. Check out who is holding which sign.)



As we approach midday, voting at several locations is 20% higher than in other, no Presidential-election years, according to an unscientific survey. Whether it's the lovely weather, the Obama bump, the influence of the Middletown Eye, or a true interest in local politics, more people seem to be voting today.

At Middletown High, I bumped into several Common Council candidates and Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, all of whom said that had voted in their districts when the polls opened at 6 AM. Several commented on the beautiful Autumn day, and the full moon that was hanging over the Western horizon early this morning as the sun was rising.

And it might have been the full moon, or the fact that candidates had already been greeting voters for five hours, nourished only by caffeine and sweets, that a little clowning took place among the hopeful candidates. Either that, or it was an early sign of a new found bipartisan cooperation.

"They told me this was supposed to be fun," Council candidate Vinne Loffredo laughed. "I'll probably just get in trouble....again."

While the bake sale at Wesley was canceled because of flu worries, two intrepid Boy (Troop 43) and Girl (Troop 627) Scout troops from Spencer and Moody sold fundraising goods inside the busy polling place at the High School.