By Serdar Tumgoren Staff Writer
Gilroy
– In a heated national election that spurred millions of new
voter registrations throughout the country, it was little surprise
that most local residents Tuesday cited the presidential race as
their main draw to the polls.
By Serdar Tumgoren Staff Writer
Gilroy – In a heated national election that spurred millions of new voter registrations throughout the country, it was little surprise that most local residents Tuesday cited the presidential race as their main draw to the polls.
“This is the first year it ever mattered enough to me to vote,” said Kellie Hyde, 45, who cast her ballot in favor of President George W. Bush at Gilroy Senior Center. “I’m against stem cell research and I believe that the man who started us in this war should finish it out.”
Expressing the opposing position, Manuel Rios said “We can’t take another four more years of you know who” as he exited the Glen View Elementary School polling site.
Among voters questioned randomly at polling sites throughout Gilroy, a majority expressed strong support for presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry and his running mate John Edwards.
At press time, 65 percent of Santa Clara County had voted in favor of the Democrats, however nationally, Kerry trailed President Bush 269 to 242 in electoral votes and refused to concede the election until provisional ballots were counted in Ohio, despite poll numbers showing a decisive lead in favor President Bush. The ballot counting process in the pivotal state could take up 10 days.
Laura Esmaili, 44, worked at the last minute to win over voters. She stood in her convertible at the corner of Santa Teresa Boulevard and First Street for three hours Tuesday afternoon, waving a Kerry/Edward sign.
“I just wanted to be heard and peacefully show my support,” she said. “If someone is still on the fence, maybe I will sway them. I’m very passionate about change.”
Voters cited the war in Iraq and national security, the economy, and health care as the most important national issues, and expressed strong feelings on certain state issues such as Proposition 71, which would provide $3 billion in state financing for stem-cell research.
“If [stem cell] research is as promising as they say, then more drug companies would be putting money into it,” said Paul, one of a dozen or so residents congregated at The Claddagh Irish pub Tuesday night as election results trickled in from across the country. “It doesn’t need tax money. The theory behind it is a little suspect.”
Across the table, his friend Todd said he voted to support state funding of stem cell research. “I do believe it has value and can help a lot of people who are now living,” he said.
Voters also had strong feelings on Proposition 66, which softens the “three strikes” law that many people say has led to life-long imprisonment for people convicted of petty crimes.
“If I had it my way, I’d make the [three strikes] law tougher,” said Anthony Bussey, who was among dozens of Republicans gathered at J.R. Brewski’s for an election party.
At press time, the stem-cell proposition appeared likely to pass with 65 percent of voters favoring the proposition. The three strikes proposition was too close to call, with 50.4 percent voting to soften the law.
Polling glitches
Despite reporting a larger number of voters than in past years, few glitches cropped up with the touch-screen voting system used throughout Santa Clara County.
A few voters mentioned minor problems with the machines, including Councilman Bob Dillon, who said it took an “inordinate amount of pressure” to register his selections on the touch screen at his polling site.
He also said his vote on a county measure kept reversing from yes to no, but he was able to fix the problem on the final review screen.
Manuel Rios and his wife reported similar touch screen problems with the middle of the ballot at Glen View, “but the important ones were good,” he said. “Once they get the machines to work properly, it’s going to be the best thing in the world.”
A voting slip-up also occurred at the Gilroy Senior Center, where pollworkers setting up voting machines in the morning incorrectly applied tamper-proof seals on the machines, said field inspector Sandra Dietzel.
Pollworkers realized the mistake in the afternoon and temporarily closed five of the six voting machines while Dietzel drove to the San Martin Justice Center to get new seals.
“It was a procedural error and it absolutely does not affect the validity of results,” Dietzel said. “All votes that have been cast on the machines are valid.”
Other than the lines caused by that glitch, voters described the touch-screen system as fast and easy – a boon on a day when lines at polling places were especially long.
Voters also appeared to share a sense of relief at the end of a long and contentious election.
One voter said she’ll have more free time with the election over. She said she spent the last few nights meticulously studying the county measures, state propositions, and local candidates.
Several thought Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s guide to state propositions helpful.
“I thought the gov’s little booklet was handy,” said Branson Miller as he walked out of his Las Animas Elementary School polling place, “even though I didn’t agree with all the recommendations.”
Like millions of other Americans, he said he’s been inundated with election material mailers, e-mails, and telephone surveys throughout the past several weeks.
“I’m relieved that it’s over and done with, even if it’s really not,” Miller said.
Photographer James Mohs, and staff writers Katie Niekerk, and Lori Stuenkel contributed to this report.
