Many new voters cast ballots in Laconia

LACONIA — First time voters came out in force to vote in the Nov. 5 General Election on Tuesday morning. Many cited concerns regarding President Joe Biden’s handling of the national economy, broader concerns about women’s rights and bodily autonomy and specific concerns regarding former President Donald Trump’s temperament in motivating their decision to do so.

Around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, a crowd of about 30 voters waited outside St. Andre Bessette Parish Catholic church to enter the polling station for Ward 2. Doors opened at 7 a.m.

Ward 2 Moderator Lenny Miner welcomed voters into the building right on cue.

“Polls are now open,” Miner said. “Come on in.”

At the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-Day Saints on Old North Main Street, which hosts the polling station in Ward 1, around 60 people waited patiently to cast their votes in the General Election Tuesday morning. 

“I’m a lifelong Democrat, I’ve been discriminated against as a woman for all my life, I’m here because of gender bias,” Betty Clark said. “I’m so glad we have a strong candidate against Trump.”

When asked if Clark was motivated primarily by state or national candidates to vote, she said national issues were paramount because she’s worried about policies Trump would pursue if elected. 

At Laconia Middle School, the polling precinct for Ward 3, local and municipal representatives rallied supporters and engaged voters outside. Inside the basketball gym, there were nine new voters registering just after 8 a.m.

Grace Davis, 21, registered to vote for the first time ahead of Election Day at City Hall. She said she is a “strong Republican” and was motivated to vote because she views participation as important and wanted to have her opinions represented.

“I really think voting makes a big impact. By not voting, we’re not going to make a difference,” Davis said.

Davis cited concerns over the economy, noting the income required in most states in order to purchase a home is too high, and she, as a Christian, believes restrictions on abortion are important factors in her decision to vote Tuesday morning.

“A lot of my family is Democratic and they share their views a lot when I don’t particularly agree with them,” she said.

At New Covenant Christian Church in Ward 4 at Memorial Park, City Councilor Mark Haynes chatted with Police Chief Matt Canfield as about 15 citizens cast their votes at 10 a.m.

Julie Perkins said she was motivated to vote because she supports Trump and former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who is running against the Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig in the gubernatorial race.

“I think he’s right for America, he was right before,” she said. “I wanted Kelly Ayotte, not Joyce Craig,” she said. 

Perkins said she supports Trump because she wants changes to national policy, citing worries about illegal immigration.

“This country is so screwed up,” she said, noting the first time she voted was also for Trump when he defeated Hilary Clinton in 2016. “Because he’s a businessman, he’s not political like the others.”

Melanie Lennon said she first voted, also in 2016, first for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) and then for Clinton. This time around, she’s supporting Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I’m voting for the women who can no longer vote because they’re dead,” she said, referring to the repeal of the federal abortion standard known as Roe v. Wade.

“All the women who fought for that right. I’m 74 and I damn sure don’t want anyone to tell me what to do with my body.” 

At Woodland Heights Elementary School, which hosts the polling precinct in Ward 5, around 30 voters cast their ballots around 10:30 a.m. Four new voters were also busy registering.

Veronica Sirles, 23, said she’d voted for the first time and was motivated to do so because she isn’t satisfied with the two-party system.

“The fact that I don’t think the top two candidates for president are good choices,” she said.

Sirles said she’s concerned about reproductive rights, the minimum wage, stricter gun laws and Trump’s past sexual behavior.  

“So we don’t want that,” she said. “There should be a third choice — you should be able to choose from more than two.”

At the Ward 6 polling precinct at Leavitt Park, Cynthia and Hope Makris arrived to cast their ballots. Hope, 99, doesn’t remember who she first voted for in a presidential election, but does recall it occurred during World War II, and that she’d graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1946.

“She’s been looking forward to this, she’s an American,” Cynthia said of Hope. “She wanted to stay alive in order to vote for the president and she’s here.”

Makris was among dozens of others who filed into the small community building at Leavitt Park around 11 a.m. More than 20 others spilled out into the parking lot to wait their turn to enter the precinct.

Ward 6 Moderator Don Basso said turnout was high at Leavitt Park, noting about 70 people were ready to vote when the precinct opened at 7 a.m.

“It’s much higher than [the Primary Election] Sept. 10,” he said. “Compared to what we’ve experienced, this is a surge.”