Voter turnout in Philadelphia 12%
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
By: Susan Phillips
sphillips@whyy.org
Only about 12% of registered voters showed up to the polls in Philadelphia on Tuesday. That's 1/5 of last year's turnout during the Presidential election.
The 27th ward in West Philadelphia includes the University of Pennsylvania and tends to have a good turnout. But poll workers in the 7th division were busy reading novels on Tuesday. By 2:00 pm, only 30 out of 658 registered voters had shown up.
David Horowitz was voter number 31. He called the lack of interest 'sad.'
Horowitz: This is a politically active ward. Can we blame half of it on the SEPTA strike? Everyone's work schedule got screwed up. I'd like to think that. You're supposed to vote. I mean come on, people die in Haiti for the right to vote. All I had to do was walk down the block.
Poll workers say it was one of the slowest election days they've seen. Some city officials worry the SEPTA strike kept some people from the polls. A judge rejected an attempt to extend voting hours.
Even though Democrats are notoriously awful at getting to the polls on off years, I think the SEPTA strike played a huge part in the election results. If they waited to strike until after the World Series games, the least they could do is wait until after Election Day.