Franklin County voter turnout low for Pa. primary

Tuesday’s voter turnout held true to predictions and was slow throughout Franklin County, which was something that Crystal Cosey of Chambersburg thought was shameful.

“I’m disgusted with the numbers. I just don’t think enough people participate in the elections,” Cosey said after leaving her polling place at Chambersburg Bible Church off Orchard Drive in Chambersburg.


Most of them are single-ballot options, but it’s just as important to vote in the primary to be prepared for the presidential election, she said.

She couldn’t believe that only 220 of 1,013 registered voters in her precinct had cast their votes between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“I think my expectations are always higher because I am in my mid-30s and I think that more people of my age need to take part. Whether you are involved in the government or not — this is a privilege that we have. I just think more people need to be involved,” Cosey said.

Election judge Bill Butts has presided over his Chambersburg precinct for the past 10 to 12 years and said the day was slow but not abnormal.

“It’s slow, but then our primaries usually don’t have big turnouts,” Butts said.

At First Baptist Church on South Coldbrook Avenue in Chambersburg, things were moving in slow motion as well.

“It’s been slow all day. But primaries are always slow,” said Esther Wagner, judge of election.

Primary or not, James Alexander of Chambersburg wasn’t going to miss a chance to vote.

“I’ve voted ever since I was 18 and I’ve not missed a poll yet,” Alexander said.

“I came out to voice my political opinion on the Republican candidates. Personally I am not a big Mitt Romney fan, and I wanted to take a vote away from him and put it toward Ron Paul,” he said.

For Pat McCormack of Chambersburg, not voting just wasn’t an option.

“This is a special privilege of this country and I refuse not to express my (right to vote),” she said. “I travel a lot and I’ve been in countries where you can’t vote, so no matter what, I’m going to vote.”

At noon, things were moving pretty slowly at Greencastle, Pa.’s second precinct at Greencastle Church of the Brethren on South Carlisle Street.

Election judge Myers Rockwell said voting was a bit slower than usual, but he was hopeful that things would pick up between 3 and 7 p.m.

“It’s the slowest it’s been in the four to five years I’ve been here,” he said.

Rockwell expects voters to turn out in large numbers for the November presidential election.

Ronald Sodoma and his wife, Karen, voted at the second precinct in Greencastle on Tuesday.