Early Voter Turnout Slow
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Vote Today —Polls Open Until 8 p,m. Cloudy, i3Ianrl|M pf iEuptttng HpralJi Showers 20 Cents Per Copy Datalls on page 2 Where to Vote Vol. XCVIII, No. 32 — Manchester, Conn., Tuesday, November 7, 1978 A Family ISEWSpaper Since 1881 MANCHESTER - The following are the town’s polling places for today’s election: Voting District One, Howell Cheney Regional Technical School, 791 W. Middle Turnpike; Two, Robertson Schooi, 45 N. School St.; Three, Church of Early Voter Turnout Slow Christ, 394 Lydall St.; Four, Mar tin School, 140 Dartmouth Road; By GREG PEARSON In 1974, the last election for gover final three hours when people have Five, Buckley School, 250 Vernon nor, a total of 6,783, or 24.96 percent state's six congressional represen through the annual ritual of calling St. Herald Reporter returned home from work. tatives, 36 state senators, 151 state of the registered voters, had been to Voters will decide who the state's from their headquarters to entice Six, Nathan Haie School, 160 representatives, county sheriffs and MANCHESTER — Despite a the polls by 11 a.m. governor will be for the next four persons to get out and vote. Spruce St.; Seven, Waddell rainless, and sometimes sunny judges of probate. Polls will be open until 8 p.m. This years — Incumbent Democratic Gov. School, 163 Broad St.; Eight, weather, the voter turnout this mor morning’s turnout, if projected over Manchester voters will decide on 12 Local Democrats and Republicans Verplanck School, 128 Olcott St.; ning in town was slow and lower than Elia"Grasso or Republican referendum questions. the entire voting period, would be chalienger Ronald Sarasin. also began preparing for tonight's Nine, Keeney Street School, 179 that of four year ago. While students enjoyed a day off about 16,910 voters, or 61 percent, of The state offices of lieutenant festivities when workers and can Keeney St.; 10, Manchester High As of 11 a.m., through the first five the entire voter registration in from school, party workers spent didates will gather together to await hours of voting, a total of 6,038 per governor, secretary of state, busy days on the phone and in their School gymnasium, Brookfield Manchester. treasurer, comptroller and attorney the final results. The Republicans Street. sons had voted — 22 percent of the car. Voting usually is slow’ in the early general also will be elected. will be at 824 Main St The town’s 27,441 registered voters. Rides were provided to the polls afternoon and then is heaviest in the Elections also will be held for the Democrats will be in the Manchester Call The Herald for many and both parties went rarkade. MANCHESTER - The Manchester Evening Herald will provide election information ser vice by telephone tonight after the Voting Light polls close. 7 For information about election in Manchester and area towns, V I phone 643-2711 after 8:30 p.m. Through State Solid Turnout HARTFORD (UPI) - Gov, Ella History appears to be on Mrs. DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. Grasso and her Republican Grasse s side in the governor’s race. (UPI) — Another solid election challenger. Rep. Ronald Sarasin, day vote turnout was predicted helped get Connecticut’s ballot In 25 years of politicking, Mrs. to(igy for this tiny town, famed for casting off to an early start today, Grasso has never lost an election and its early returns on presidential but election officials predict the the last time an incumbent governor elections. voter turnout may be the lowest in was defeated in Connecticut was in Town CTerk Tom Tillotson said state history. 1954. even though this is an off-year Four years ago, when Mrs. Grasso “She's going to win comfortably election, he expected about 20 of became the first woman in U.S. any which way,” said Democratic the 24 registered voters to cast history to be elected governor State Chairman John Dempsey Jr., ballots beween noon and 12:15 without suctreeding her husband, only the son of the popular former gover p.m. 72 percent of the state’s 2.2 million nor. “The larger the turnout, the Dixville Notch has a total pop registered voters showed up at the bigger she’s going to win. ” ulation of 32, including two aliens polls. It was the lowest turnout ever. Dempsey, who worked as Mrs. and six children. Tillotson, whose Grasso’s campaign manager until family owns a hotel and adjacent This year, elections officials say late summer when he took over the rubber glove factory, says there’s the turnout may be even lower. In the party’s chairmanship, said he a reason voter turnout always is early going, voter traffic was expected the incumbent Democrat to good. described as light to moderate. win by 70,000 votes or more. “Everybody’s right here,” he Mrs. Grasso and Sarasin, a three- “She’s slightly ahead, but the un said. “Everybody works either at term congressman, voted shortly decided voter is still out there,” GOP N the hotel or the factory. It’s easy after the polls opened at 6 a.m. under State Chairman Fred Biebel to get bold of everylxky and re partly cloudy skies. Neither would countered. “I’m not predicting mind them to come in.” predict the outcome of the election, numbers, but Ron Sarasin will win. but the governor appeared confident. It’s been the toughest election I’ve Democratic chieftains confidently ever had to call.” predicted Monday Sarasin doesn’t Four years ago, Mrs. Grasso Want Siebold I Lining Up at the Polls have a prayer of keeping Mrs. Grasso became the first woman ever elected out of the governor’s chair for governor without succeeding her hus ^Chester High School students I Voter turnout was not as heavy early this offices, voters also had to decide on 12 another four years. band into office when she swamped morning as this line at Cheney Tech would referendum questions. Polls are open today But they said her margin of victory another Republican congressman, until 8 p.m. (Herald photo by Pinto) will depend on how many of the Robert Steele, by 203,000 votes. tion Director M e T s S ? s® to “ s state’s Democrats bother to go to the The Republicans will be counting swim coach at the high school. I congressman and other state and local polls. The turnout, they said, could be on the disenchanted Democrats who See Page 2. ^ ^ - . held down if the weather forecast of backed Lt. Gov. Robert Killian in his rain holds up. ill-fated attempt to knock off Mrs. Republican higher ups and con Grasso in the state’s fist Democratic FatalBia«> \Most Pessiitiistic ceded Sarasin's best shot rides on gubernatorial primary. V MONTVILLE (UPI) - SUte _ apathetic or disenchanted Connecticut's Democratic police say an early morning I W T ^ ^ 9 B ^ _ § _ Democrats who stay at home. Rain, Secretary of the State Henry Cohn the GOP leaders said, would be a predicted a voter turnout of 67 to 75 welcome addition to their cause. percent - or 1,060,000 to 1,190,000 a 57-year-old local man and left i l l ^ I Votins hiStimatem/W m M The polls open at 6 a.m. today and voters. The last gubernatorial elec five families homeless. ' close at 8 p.m. tion produced a 72 percent turnout. State police identified the vie. ■ Connecticut’s 1.6 million voters Biebel was looking for a 65-68 per tim as n L y W a S S I f , ROCHESTER - L^al political voters would vote. risers also offered their opinion of were asked to choose-•187 state cent turnout. tosh Avenue. They said Watson I ■ ejection workers were That 74 percent figure also was voter interest. legislators, six congressman, a There are 613,225 registered was apparently visiting friends at I 'I* their predictions about mentioned by Herbert Stevenson, Republican Town Chairman governor, a secretary of state, a Democrats in the state. Unaffiliated the D^M Road apartment K m ® Democratic registrar of voters. Thomas Ferguson, who opened Main comptroller, a treasurer, an attorney voters are next with 562,061, while when the fire broke out shortlv I j ... His wife, Helen, forecast a tumout of Street headquarters at 5:45 this mor general and a host of sheriffs and Republicans bring up the rear with before 2 a.m. ^ I D e^lte good weather through the 68-70 percent. probate judges. morning hours and a race for gover- ning, said, “If we go over 65-70 per 410,675 voters. cent, I’d be surprised.” f'tawtf t? I P*'®‘l*ctions about voter turnout Two women closest to the Election ^ UrjeW r ear I in town dropped as low as 55 percent. Day preparations — Carol McCarthy Dorothy Brindamour, vice The nresirient I those contacted thought and Peg Lucas — also were asked for chairwoman of the Democratic Town Mercha“s AssoJfa^o? ^P 75.3 percint predictions. Both work in 'the Committee, opened her party Americans Vote e x D r e ^ “ ronee™ Ihil P ^ Voter tumout reached by Manchester registrars office. headquarters in the Parkade at about “I hate to be pessimistic,” Mrs. the same time. proposed curfew ordinance to * Lucas said. “But, I think it will be “I could be way off, but I think it’s On Vital Issues about 55 percent.” I Even so, the town this year set a going to be very low,” she said of the voter turnput. She said voter apathy absentee ballot Mrs.