Steady stream of voters visit Wards 1, 2, 4 polls

LACONIA — After months of campaigning through forums, letters to the editor and social media posts, Election Day was in full swing on Tuesday, with a steady stream of voters casting ballots throughout the day in Wards 1, 2 and 4.

Ward 1 was the busiest among the three, and just before noon, about 320 voters had already come through, according to Moderator May Stewart.

“I think the fact that we had three competitive races on the ballot today has helped with turnout,” Stewart said. “There has been a lot of interest in what is going on.”

Amy Davis was with her 4-year-old son Beau, and said homelessness was the driving force of her voting on Tuesday. She was against having any type of “homeless pods,” but said it is an issue the city, and the rest of the Lakes Region, needs to tackle.

“Honestly, we need some change,” Davis said, declining to say for whom she voted. “I want someone who will be on top of the homeless problem. That is definitely the game changer for me. It is a big deal.”

Lisa Koch was stumping for council candidate Mike MacFadzen, saying he is someone who the city can count on, and a “reputable guy.”

David Dickson was a strong proponent of Rep. Mike Bordes (R-Laconia) for mayor, as Bordes personally helped Dickson and his wife deal with a crime issue in their neighborhood. Dickson said Bordes came out as a state representative, and helped them.

“He came out personally, and even walked through poison ivy to help us out,” Dickson. “That tells me a lot. To come out and help a citizen of your area is a big deal.”

Dickson also voted for Frank Mello for police commissioner, because he is a veteran, and Dickson feels he will continue to do a good job as police commissioner. He didn’t have a lot of knowledge about the city council race, but his neighbors spoke highly of MacFadzen, leading Dickson to cast a vote for him.

Jeffrey Levitan was supporting Ward 1 Councilor Bruce Cheney for mayor, saying he was the right candidate, because Cheney brought common sense and leadership experience to the table. Levitan said homelessness and affordable housing are the buzz words, and Cheney is someone who can work to alleviate some of these concerns.

Ward 2 Moderator Lenny Miner was happy with the turnout early in the day, pointing out that at about 10:45 a.m., there had been 165 voters. Like Stewart, he thought 25% would be a solid turnout, and the numbers were heading that direction.

“In a normal Municipal Election, we’re between 20% and 25% turnout,” Miner said. “We’re about on pace to be there, and I’d say that is a good turnout.”

Ward 2 Councilor Bob Soucy and his opponent Gregg Hough were both standing in front of St. Andre Bessette Parish Hall, holding signs and speaking with voters, saying they were pleased to see people exercising their democratic rights.

Betty and Jim Stafford are longtime Laconia residents. Betty said she has lived in the city for about 73 years, and Jim for 47 years. They did not say for whom they voted, but said Laconia needs new people to serve in office.

“People have been in there too long, not just in Laconia, all across the country,” Betty said.

Frank and Lynn Latosek both said they were in favor of Soucy for city council, Mello for police commission, and Cheney in the mayoral race.

“I just want to make sure we get the people that we support elected,” Frank said. “They are the ones who want to do the right things for the citizens of Laconia.”

The Latoseks said Soucy addressed a problem with trespassers in an unoccupied residence near their home. He said Soucy worked with City Manager Kirk Beattie and Police Chief Matt Canfield to take care of their concern, and this was the type of leadership they desired.

“He was extremely helpful working with all the agencies to solve the problem,” Lynn said.

The couple recently returned from a vacation in Key West, and related this to the social district ballot question. The Latoseks voted in favor of the city allowing these spaces, saying they have seen firsthand how they can work if well-maintained, and rules are followed accordingly.

“It should work just fine with cooperation from the businesses,” Frank said.

Lynn added, “It seems to work well down there, and should work here, too.”

Dan Hooberman, a Ward 1 voter and vice chair of the Laconia Democrats, was holding a sign in Ward 2 for Soucy. He'd been making the rounds, stumping for various candidates. He called Soucy a “man of integrity,” saying he admired his financial background and said he has the best interest of the city in mind.

Hooberman was also in favor of incumbent Councilors Mark Haynes (4) and Tony Felch (6), and favored Jon Hildreth over MacFadzen in his ward for city council.

“I think they are the most qualified candidates,” he said. “I know they have the best interest of the city, and aren’t controlled by any outside forces. They are smart and very capable.”

Hooberman voted for social districting, saying it will help businesses and tourism. He said it should work out well as long as the local police and the liquor commission “keep a tight lid on things.”

Faith Pappachristos was at the Ward 4 polls, and said homelessness is a problem, and affordable housing is a critical need facing the city. She said Bordes was the right choice for mayor, and Sheri Minor for city council, to address these needs. She also felt it was time for some new blood in local government.

“I thought maybe a little bit of a younger crew could come on board,” Pappachristos said.

Diane Lockwood voted for Cheney and Haynes, saying the candidate forums were helpful in forming her opinion.

“I like them, and think that we need to stay the course,” she said.

Ward 4 Moderator Carol Nordquist was also pleased with the turnout, despite there being some slow points throughout the day.

“It has been steady, a few lulls for 5 or 10 minutes, but we had two people here an hour before the polls open,” Nordquist said.

However, Bordes was less than excited about the turnout and the overall engagement by local voters.

“I am really disappointed in the Municipal Election as a whole,” he said. “In the primary, we had like a 14% turnout, and we’ll be lucky if we hit 25% or 26%. It is very slow, and I feel like the voters are unengaged in local politics, and are more concerned about state and national. Part of the goal of me running was to get people more involved in local politics.”