Low Turnout at the Polls On Primary Day in Manchester

Tuesday might have been the day for primary elections for state and federal candidates, but in Manchester the turnout looked as though it was going to be low. 

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, roughy 10.6 percent of registered Democrats in town, or 1,144 people, and 16 percent of Republicans, or 792 people, had cast votes, according to Republican Registrar of Voters Tim Becker. In 2010, the last time Manchester had similar statewide and federal primaries, Becker said that about 29 percent of voters from both parties turned out. 

"It doesn't seem to have people as excited," Becker said. "The turnout isn't as big as it was in 2010." 

Becker noted that in 2010, both Republicans and Democrats were voting for candidates for Governor as well as the U.S. Senate, and there were also several other statewide races on the ballot. This year, registered Democrats and Republicans only have candidates to vote for for the U.S. Senate primary. 

There is also a Democratic primary for the 13th Assembly District in the Connecticut General Assembly between Manchester's Joe Diminico and Glastonbury's Tom Gullotta to fill the seat vacated by , but that race appears to have drawn scant attention Tuesday as well. 

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"It's been really slow," said Laura Diminico, Joe's daughter who was stumping for him outside the at 549 East Middle Turnpike for the majority of the day Tuesday. "I'm hoping that once everybody gets out of work, they'll come down." 

But Larry Switzer and his wife Judy were among the voters who stopped by the senior center Tuesday afternoon to vote. Both are registered Democrats, but declined to talk about the candidates they voted for. 

"This is one right that they haven't taken away from us," said Larry Switzer when asked what brought him out to the polls Tuesday. 

Polls across the state will close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Click for a list of polling places in Manchester. 

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