PLATTSBURGH—Both sides in the race to replace John McHugh in Congress are working the polling places, and not without some friction.
Sean Hennessey, the Jefferson County Democratic chairman and elections commissioner said he was making the rounds to polling places and described the turnout as “not tremendous, but relatively high for an off-year election.”
He said there were some “hiccups” with optical scan voting machines his county just implemented, but that “every voter is being serviced.” There was a problem with a volunteer from the Susan B. Anthony List, Hennessey said, handing out fliers outside polling places. The police were called in some instances, but no arrests were made. The organization is staunchly pro-life and is supporting Doug Hoffman over Bill Owens.
“It’s never happened up here in Jefferson County, and I get the impression they’re not local,” Hennessey told me.
Emily Buchanan, a spokesperson for the organization, confirmed that it has over 200 volunteers at more than 50 polling places in the district. (Jefferson County is thought to be a key battleground.)
“All of our volunteers were instructed by us to stand 100 feet from polling places,” Buchanan said. “We just think people are just nervous that they don’t see any Democrats, and the Democrats are claiming it’s intimidation.”
Also, Hoffman’s spokesman Rob Ryan told me a campaign volunteer had his tires slashed in Plattsburgh, and a police report was filed. Photo above.
