Lindey Kaiden, a clerk in the Pittsfield registrar of voters office, displays a mock ballot of the type used in new voting machines in the city and Lee and Lenox. (Photo By Anthony Fyden)
Berkshire voters, along with residents across the state, will go to the polls on March 2 for the presidential primary, and voters in Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield will use new voting machines that could help things run a bit smoother.
But whether voters will turn out in large numbers remains to be seen. Local officials are concerned because of past experience.
“People don’t realize that this is how their candidate gets to the November election,†said Lee Town Clerk Suzanne Scarpa. “If they don’t vote for a candidate here [in the primary], they may not have the chance to vote for him later. It’s a shame people don’t get out there more and vote.â€
There are 3,832 registered voters in Lee. Scarpa estimated that only 200 to 500 vote in most primaries. A race among local candidates might bring out 1,000 voters, she said.
It typically takes a hotly contested race to draw people to a primary. In recent primaries, turnout in South County as a whole has been hard put to reach 30 percent and often has been closer to 10 percent, officials said.
This year, prognosticators have all but given the nod to Sen. John Kerry as the Democratic nominee, although he is one of 10 candidates on the ballot. George W. Bush is alone on the Massachusetts ballot for the Republican nomination.
Peggy Byron, chairwoman of the Lee Democratic Town Committee, would like to see more people revved up about the election.
“The Democrats have to unite and stand behind one candidate,†Byron said. “We do have low voter turnout here, and it’s very sad. The lowest turnout is for 18 to 24-year-olds, and that’s even sadder. It’s their future. It’s their world.â€
Lenox Town Clerk Marie Colvin said turnout for some state primaries has been as low as only 76 of the town’s 3,605 registered voters. The last presidential primary drew just over 1,000, she said.
Great Barrington and Stockbridge town clerks confirmed low voter turnout in their towns, as well. In Stockbridge, 456 out of more than 1,500 registered voters turned out for the last presidential primary, and Town Clerk Linda Hunt said the town has had about as many voters at state primaries since then.
Unenrolled voters can vote in primaries but often do not, Scarpa noted. These voters simply have to go to their local polling site and inform the poll worker which party’s ballot they would like. Scarpa said unenrolled voters are often reluctant to declare themselves for one party or another, even temporarily, because they are concerned about their privacy.
During a presidential primary, unenrolled voters regain their independent status as soon as they hand in the ballot, Colvin said.
Both towns and Pittsfield will use new “Acuvote†voting machines for the first time on Tuesday. Great Barrington and Stockbridge have used the new machines for a couple of years. The new machines replaced lever machines that allowed people to correct their vote after they had cast it. Lee never had a problem with the lever machines, but federal election legislation passed in 2002 mandated replacing the old equipment, Scarpa said.
The government is reimbursing Lee for $5,800 of the $6,250 the town spent on the voting machine, she said. Along with the new voting machine, Lee got 35 booths, one of which is accessible to the handicapped.
Using the new system, voters will receive a paper ballot and take it into private booth to fill out. Voters will shade the circle next to the name of the candidate they choose and put the ballot into a slot. Then the machine will store the ballot in a locked box, so the vote can be reviewed. If a voter makes a mistake, the machine will send the ballot back and explain why. Voters have three chances to fill out a ballot.
“It’s a very simple process, and we will explain everything,†Scarpa said.
Voters on Tuesday will also elect town committee members, roles that receive little fanfare but can impact an election.
There’s also a contested race for Democrat state committeeman, with incumbent Peter G. Arlos and Matt L. Baron of Chesterfield vying to represent Berkshire County Democrats at the state level. Margaret Johnson Ware of Williamstown is the only Berkshire Democrat running for state committeewoman.
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Public Health Advisory Issued for Pontoosuc Lake
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Blue-green algae blooms have been observed at Pontoosuc Lake and a public health advisory has been recommended by the state Department of Public Health for the lake in both Pittsfield and Lanesborough.
As this bloom may present harmful health effects for users of the lake, the Pittsfield Health Department issues the following directives for this waterbody for people and pets until further notice:
Do not swim.
Do not swallow water.
Keep animals away.
Rinse off after contact with water.
Warning signs are being posted around the lake.
Blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, occur naturally in lakes and ponds throughout Massachusetts. These microscopic organisms are components of the aquatic food chain. In ordinary circumstances, Cyanobacteria cause no apparent harm. However, warmer water temperatures and high nutrient concentrations may induce a rapid increase in their abundance. This response is commonly called a “bloom” because algal biomass increases to the extent that normally clear water becomes markedly turbid.
Harmful health effects from the bloom can result through skin contact with the algae tainted water, swallowing the water, and when airborne droplets are inhaled. Pets are especially prone to the health effects not only through skin contact, but also by ingesting significant amounts of the toxin by licking their wet fur after leaving the water.
To protect yourself and your family from any harmful effects of this blue-green algae bloom, residents and visitors are advised to avoid contacting water that has a noxious odor, appears green throughout (sometimes referred to as looking like pea soup), or that has mats, films or scums accumulating on the surface.
Until further notice we recommend avoiding these high-risk activities:
Any contact with the water including swimming, diving, playing, or wading
Drinking, or allowing animals to drink the water
Water sports, e.g. water skiing, wake boarding, wind surfing, jet skiing, tubing
Other activities that pose a moderate risk to health include:
Fish consumption
Canoeing
Rowing
Sailing
Kayaking
Paddle boarding
Motor boating
The health outcomes of concern are:
Irritations of the skin, eyes or ears
GI problems like vomiting and diarrhea
Muscle cramps
In extreme cases nerve or liver problems
If you or your pet accidentally come in contact with algae tainted water, thoroughly rinse off with clean water.
If you experience any of the symptoms of blue-green algae exposure (listed above), contact your health care provider or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If your pet experiences symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Regular monitoring of lake conditions will occur moving forward until bloom dissipates. The community will be notified of the bloom dissipation at that time. The rescinding of the public health advisory will only occur after two successive samples, collected a week apart, demonstrate cell counts or toxin levels below the state guideline values.
For more information or questions, contact the Pittsfield Health Department at 413-499-9411.
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