Voters split on support for current leaders, change

LACONIA — The polls were bustling with activity Tuesday as residents showed up to support their chosen candidates for mayor, city council, the school board, and other positions during the Municipal Election.

Moderators in Ward 3, 5 and 6 reported healthy voter turnout, despite the wind and cold. Candidates and their supporters held fast outside of Laconia Middle School, Woodland Heights, and the clubhouse at Leavitt Park as voters came steadily through. 

Hawk-eyed volunteer election observers paid careful attention to anyone turned away from the polls, though that hadn’t happened — at least, not at Leavitt Park, by noontime.

At Ward 3, Councilor Eric Hoffman, who is running unopposed, stood outside the middle school, with a sign advertising his campaign. Poll workers there had facilitated voting for almost 100 ballots by 9:30 a.m., and would begin counting absentee ballots at 10 a.m.

“Housing and health care,” voter Cedric Flower said when asked which issues motivated him to participate in the election. “No, [the candidates] did not” address those questions to his satisfaction ahead of the vote.

Flower said education and experience are the two most important traits to look for in a candidate. By his estimation, Laconia didn’t have any good ones on Tuesday. 

“They have neither education or experience,” he said. 

“I don’t see a lot of progress, no meaningful progress, and I don’t see it in the future,” Flowers said when asked if he feels generally positive or negative about the state of the city, vis-a-vis candidates on the ballot.

“None of the candidates addressed any of those issues,” Flower said, noting health care is a serious problem in New Hampshire, and housing a serious problem in Laconia. “They just speak in generalities.”

For voter Stephanie Whitley, the presence of nonpartisan observers — the poll-monitoring volunteers representing the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights — at Laconia Middle School was positive. She participated in the Municipal Election for ideological reasons. 

“Because I’m an American and it’s a democracy,” she said. 

Other voters had discrete and pragmatic motivations for showing up to the polls Tuesday.

“I believe Bruce Cheney will be the best selection for mayor of Laconia,” Hazel Zimmer said, noting Cheney's record of experience serving the city and as a police officer. “He’s an honest person, and I trust him.”

The homelessness issue was on Zimmer’s mind at Laconia Middle School as she, a retired social worker, came to vote.

“I think it’s a difficult problem to solve, some people don’t want help,” she said. 

By 10:45 a.m., 108 people submitted their votes at Woodland Heights Elementary School in Ward 5.

“It’s been steady, it hasn’t been dead at all,” Assistant Moderator Gene Dauphinais said. “The mid-morning gets pretty busy here,” and there’s generally a lull in the early afternoon, before picking up again toward the end of the day.

Voter Charles Bradley said he’s clear on his choice this time around.

“I’m hoping that the right mayor wins the race, and that’s Bruce Cheney,” Bradley said.

Most voters interviewed didn’t have strong opinions about ballot questions, including the creation of so-called “social districts,” areas of the city where public drinking would be permitted. Bradley, on the other hand, said he supports that idea.

“It’ll be under control,” he said. 

Bill Woglom said his motivation to vote was his “old age” — he’s reached his 90s and he wants to see changes made in city government.

“I’d like to see better control of the homeless,” Woglom said, though he admitted none of the candidates for mayor or city council appeared to have effective ideas for confronting the issue, which has, in many ways, defined the Municipal Election.

“I didn’t see it,” he said. 

The clubhouse at Leavitt Park, located in Ward 6, was lively on Tuesday. Almost 230 voters had made their selections by 11:30 a.m., and poll workers there reported the newly-adopted electronic Poll Pads, used to check voters in, were working well.

Sandy and Sherwood Frazier serve as ballot clerks in Ward 6. 

“The Poll Pads are a dream,” Sandy said. “It’s absolutely wonderful.”

“It’s certainly not for the pay,” she said when asked why she feels driven to help run elections. “It’s our duty.”

“It’s an easy civic duty to do,” Sherwood said. 

Voter Tom Bonaccorsi said the candidates for council and mayor were the people he felt spoke most candidly regarding the need for new leadership in the city.

“I’m looking for a change in direction for the city,” Bonaccorsi said outside of the Ward 6 poll. He’s not in favor of the way the city has handled the heightened interest in the development of rural White Oaks Road, which he said is among his top motivations to vote, as a resident of that neighborhood.  

“My top priority is White Oaks Road.”