Like the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., that bloom in the spring, so do the local campaign signs in Needham. Election Day is the height of their season, and with the warm weather and sunshine, those signs sprouted all around the five local polling locations.
Supporters of all three contested races, as well as many Town Meeting candidates, spent the day outside, hoping to win every last vote. For poll workers, however, it was an Election Day like most others, with a slow stream of residents coming through to exercise their franchise.
Stephen Jaques, the warden for precinct F, said early voting has changed Election Day significantly, but he was pleased with the day’s turnout. “It’s been pretty busy today, to our surprise,” he said.
Jaques, who has worked the town’s elections for the past 11 years, said he began when his career had wound down. His favorite moments are with first-time voters who come in with their parents. “We give them a round of applause, like in a restaurant,” he said. “I think it’s memorable, because we all remember our first time voting.”
He said he’s always been impressed with Needham voters. “They’re diligent, they care about the town and they vote.”
Kay Tedoldi, a 25-year veteran of precinct B, started as a clerk on Sept. 11, 2001. She remembers a police officer meeting the officer on duty to deliver a bullet-proof vest. “It was unnerving what was happening,” she said. “The story was unfolding as the day was going on. There was talk of cancelling the election.”
She agreed that the turnout was good for a town election. “It’s exciting,” she said. “Some people don’t think it matters. I think it matters more than many other elections.”
Julie Bailit was managing precinct D in her first year as warden. It was quiet in the afternoon, but she said people had been coming in slow and steady all day, eager to cast their vote. And former town clerk Tedi Eaton was just “clerk” for the other Newman precinct, C. She said she was hoping for an early night once they all convened at Town Hall.
Town Clerk Louise Miller said the day was smooth sailing. When asked if that was in part due to early voting, she said that it hasn’t affected Election Day voting as much as people might think. What early voting and vote by mail has done is increased the total number of voters. She is a big advocate of maintaining the option for local elections and has already been vocal with state representatives.
And as the sun set on Town Hall yesterday evening, signs faded away, candidates retreated to local haunts to await results with their supporters, and the exhausted poll workers could rest again until November.
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