Delaware voters showed up at the polls Tuesday at a pace higher than recent midterms, but not at the pace seen in presidential election cycles. When the day was over 49 percent of registered Delaware voters cast a ballot. That’s the biggest Delaware turnout since 58 percent in the 1994 midterm election. The midterms since 1994 (1998, 2002 and 2006) averaged a 42.5 percent turnout. Presidential elections in Delaware since 1996 have had an average voter turnout of just under 67 percent, including 68 percent in both 2004 and 2008.
Voters throughout the state had a variety of reasons for coming out to the polls on Election Day.
Fifty-two-year-old Sharon Troskey cast her ballot at Pleasantville Elementary School near New Castle. “It’s a privilege,” she said, adding that she always votes. Troskey, a registered Democrat, said she was accustomed to splitting her ballot to vote for U.S. Representative Michael Castle prior to his defeat in the September Republican U.S. Senate primary by tea party favorite Christine O’Donnell.
Frank Carr of New Castle also says he normally turns out for each election. He hopes for the “economy to turn around and jobs to be created,” instead of sending jobs overseas. Carr is an electrical worker who said he has not had steady work for about three years.
A senior citizen who identified himself only as Charles, also voting at Pleasantville Elementary, said he switched from Democrat to Republican, but he only voted for O’Donnell was because she was “the lesser of two evils.” Charles’ wife, Patricia, was looking to send a message to the current administration in Washington. She is hopeful that the health care reform plan can be repealed and that more will be done to improve border security and crack down on illegal immigration.
After voting at Richardson Park United Methodist Church near Wilmington, senior Louis DiSabatino said he had a couple of candidates and issues in mind as he headed to the polls. “I notice that once a party gets in, instead of working together they work against each other,” DiSabatino said.
Voting as well as campaigning at Richardson Park, Scot Sauer, Republican candidate for New Castle County Council District 1, said that during his campaign he found that Delawareans were tired of the status quo. He found it “frustrating in a way” that the Delaware Senate race got so much attention. “At that lower level, you need to know who’s getting into office,” Sauer said, adding that decisions on local taxes and land use are made on the county level.
Ralph, another regularly voting senior, had economics on his mind as he voted at Luther Towers in Wilmington. The tone of this year’s campaign, he said, was “lousy.” Ralph tends to split his ballot. Did he think the partisan divide can be bridged?
“Good luck,” Ralph answered.
Chris and Mary cast their ballots at Wilmington’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. They are also dedicated voters and often split their ballots. Chris said the Senate race in particular was an “example of people completely fed up with politics in Washington, and [with the fact] that money and big business drive the government.” Mary said she felt that people are blaming Washington, and that the tea party movement is an example of an anti-establishment mood among the voters.
Barbara said it was her “duty to vote,” and that’s what she did at the Bear Public Library. She said this year’s campaigns did not appear to be a lot about issues, but more about the personalities and the candidates. Barbara is a registered Democrat who backs the current administration’s efforts, saying they’re “doing what they can with what they have to work with.”
“From where we were, there’s been improvement,” Barbara said. “But it won’t happen overnight.”
In Sussex County the desire to vote was equally strong.
Janaé Taylor practically danced out of a polling center in Lewes. “I feel great,” the 18-year-old said. Taylor, who turned 18 in September, watched the Coons-O’Donnell debate in her Honors Contemporary Issues class at Cape Henlopen High School and really liked O’Donnell. “I chose to vote for O’Donnell,” she said. “I like that I get to change something. Every vote counts.”
Having one’s vote count and being a vehicle for change was a recurrent theme at polling stations across Sussex County.
Cody West has voted in three elections—every one since he turned 18. He feels that this election is the most crucial one he has ever voted in.
"It's the most important for where we are in the economy," he said. He hopes his vote will help to set the country back on track.
Politics runs in Casey Minard's family. The 21-year-old’s mom campaigned for Christine O'Donnell, and Minard said he came out to show support for O'Donnell. "I would love to see Republicans hold the majority," he said. "I would like to see a change."
Erin Riley, 17, spent the day campaigning for Glen Urquhart. She politely thanked each voter while waving a red Urquhart placard. Politics runs in her blood, she said. She's been working on political campaigns since she was six, when her dad ran for the state senate. "I'm very passionate about elections," she said.
“I vote all the time,” said Bill Reader of Lewes, who has voted in every election since turning 18. “It’s part of my civic duty. If you don’t vote you shouldn’t be criticizing.”
Mike Gayowski of Lewes agreed. Leaning on his walker, he paused to look at the political signs before entering the polling station. “It’s my right to vote, a privilege of being an American,” he said.
For Karen Tunnell of Milton, voting isn’t just a privilege. It’s a way to pay tribute. Tunnel’s grandmother raised her and taught her a sense of civic duty. “She instilled in me to do it,” she said.
Tunnell, like many others interviewed, believes this election is no more important than any other.
“All elections are important,” she said. “All of us should have a voice in it."
