I actually went to all the polling places, except Plum Island. One thing surprised everyone I talked to. Usually there is an “early morning commuter” vote, from about 7:00 AM to 8:15-8:30 AM. Often there are people waiting in line to get into vote. That did not seem to exist at any of the polling places this year, which could mean a very low turn-out, which would be too bad.

When I went to vote at Ward 2, there was a steady stream of voters, and the total at about 11:30 was 250, which people seemed to think was very low for that point in the day.

And the thing that surprised me, was that people said that there was a lot of sentiment against Question #1… about whether to discuss the structure of Newburyport’s City Charter, so it could turn out that Question #1 could be very close.

At Ward 1 and Ward 2 there were a many more people holding Donna Holaday signs, when I went, which surprised me. At the Bresnahan School, Ward 5 and Ward 6, and Hope Community Church, Ward 3 and Ward 4, the signs were about even for Donna Holaday and James Shanley.