MANCHESTER, N.H. – It’s Election Day in Manchester and it’s been a busy morning at the polls.
Incumbent Mayor Joyce Craig cast her vote in Ward 1 around 10:15 a.m., and spent time talking to voters outside afterward.
By 10:25 a.m., just under 1,000 voters had cast their ballots in Ward 1, approximately 16 percent of all registered voters in the ward.
“We’ve seen a lot of folks out here, so I’m just encouraging people to get out and vote today,” said Craig. “I hope for the best. It’s impossible to predict, but we’ve worked hard. We’ve knocked on thousands and thousands of doors making those conversations with voters. We’re out there talking to people today and we hope our hard work pays off.”
Her challenger, former State Representative Victoria Ward, voted in Ward 9 earlier in the morning.
Like Craig, Sullivan has been criss-crossing the city and stopped by Ward 5 around 10:45 a.m. By that point, 320 Ward 5 voters (9.3 percent) had cast their ballots.
“It feels great today. There’s a lot of energy, every ward I go to, people are coming over to me and shaking my hand. People are excited about us running, “said Sullivan. “I think people are motivated to vote for me and I think it’s going to be a great night for the city of Manchester.” Sullivan was holding signs at McDonough School in Ward 4 around lunchtime, with many more wards to go before the polls close at 7 p.m.
In Ward 8, 875 voters (15.2 percent) had cast their ballots by around 11 a.m.
Ward 8 Aldermanic Candidate Mike Porter says he arrived at the polls by 5:35 a.m. He indicated a steady stream of voters and congenial atmosphere among everyone greeting those voters.
Throughout Ward 8, which includes most of the area near Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and the Mall of New Hampshire, Porter says he’s heard differing concerns from voters.
“It’s kind of bifurcated. On one end (of the ward), people are concerned about traffic,” he said. “But as you get closer to the center of the city, people are more concerned about crime.”
Cathleen Farley, wife of Ward 8 Aldermanic Candidate Michael Farley, also reported a steady stream of voters. Cathleen ran for Alderman At-Large but did not advance past the primary, accumulating 1,203 votes. Like Porter, she reported a variety of concerns among Ward 8 voters, albeit different concerns.
“I would have to say people want more civility,” she said. “The top issue is our schools, but people are also concerned with crime.”
Polls will be open until 7 p.m. More information can be found on the City Clerk’s page on the city website.
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