Town clerks are expecting long lines at the polls next Tuesday for an election in which voters will be making decisions on presidential candidates, county offices, state referendum questions and a local question in Swansea that will ask people to approve the Community Preservation Act that could have a large impact on the local area, state and country.
Somerset Town Clerk Patricia Hart said she expects to see over 80 percent of the registered voters in Somerset come to the polls next Tuesday. She said the presidential election is what is drawing the interest.
"I think it's going to be a very busy day, so be prepared to possibly wait a little bit," Ms. Hart said.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Tuesday in Somerset and Swansea. Ms. Hart said the longest lines at the polls during the day will probably be when people get out of work between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., so she advised people to vote during the day if they can.
In Somerset, voters in Precinct One can go to the Somerset Water Department on County Street to cast their ballots, voters in Precinct Two can go to the Chace Street School, voters in Precinct Three can go to the Somerset Public Library on County Street, voters in Precinct Four can go to the Somerset Middle School on Brayton Avenue and voters in Precinct Five can go to the Wilbur Elementary School on Brayton Point Road. In Swansea, voters in Precinct One can cast their ballots at the Elizabeth Brown School, voters in Precinct Two can vote at the Swansea Ambulance Corps building at 285 Wilbur Ave., voters in Precinct Three and Precinct Five can vote at St. Dominic's Hall on Route 6 and voters in Precinct Four can vote at Fire Station 4 at 1680 G.A.R. Highway.
For president, the candidates are Democrat Barack Obama, Republican John McCain, Independent Ralph Nader, Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney, Libertarian Bob Barr and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.
U.S. Senator John Kerry is being challenged in the election by Republican Jeffrey Beatty and Libertarian Robert Underwood.
There are two races in Bristol County. Democrat Gina DeRossi, Republican Robert Heroux and unenrolled Roy Santos are seeking the open register of probate seat. There are three candidates who are competing for two county commissioner seats. They include incumbent Democrat Christopher Saunders, Democrat Paul Kitchen and unenrolled Gregory DeMelo.
Over 500 absentee ballots have come into the Somerset town clerk's office which Ms. Hart said is a lot. The absentee ballots have mostly been for people who go to live in Florida during the colder months of the year, college students and nursing home residents. Somerset has about 12,600 registered voters.
"We're getting a lot of voters who are going to vote Democrat," Ms. Hart said. "People have been saying that."
Swansea Town Clerk Susan Taveira said she thinks people are more aware of this election than past elections and will be turning out in large numbers to vote.
"People want to make their voice known," Ms. Taveira said. "I think the media is very influential and you have a lot of younger people coming out to register to vote."
Ms. Taveira advised people to bring their identifications to the polls, even though they may not need them. She said IDs are required if a person registered to vote for the first time, has never voted in an election before, has moved from one house to another house in Swansea or has not filled out a census form in the past year. If a person does not have an identification, Ms. Taveira said he or she can vote provisionally and then the town clerk's office will do research to make sure the person is registered to vote afterwards.