Today’s the big day. Please go out and vote. If you aren’t sure where to go to vote, you can enter your address in this non-partisan tool from Google to find out where your polling place is. For more information on what kind of identification you will need to bring as well as how to use the electronic voting equipment specific to Erie County, visit VotesPA.com.
As part of the election coverage, ErieBlogs will be live blogging this evening beginning at 8 p.m. covering the political races near and dear to Erieites.
If you get a moment today, post a comment below and let us know what it was like at your polling place. Where there long lines or short lines? Did you have to wait long? Experience any issues.
In case you were curious, Kathy Dahlkemper will be voting at 7 a.m. at the St. Joseph’s Apartments. Phil English will cast his ballot at 7:15 a.m. at Emerson-Gridley School. Both candidates will greet voters around the district during the day and return to their respective parties in the evening. Dahlkemper will be at the Saga Club in Erie. We haven’t heard where English’s event will be held.
The Obama campaign reported a staggering number of contacts made just in Pennsylvania alone over the weekend. According to Craig Schirmer, Pennsylvania State Director for the Obama Campaign, volunteers knocked on 1,811,801 doors and made 1,193,573 phone calls to voters across the state, including Erie.
Former president Bill Clinton and former Massachusettes Governor Mitt Romney were in Erie yesterday stumping for their respective candidates (we’ll let you guess who). Some political analysists believe Pennsylvania is key to McCain if he is going to win the presidential election.
If you still haven’t made up your minds, especially for a few of the local races, over the last week we’ve posted exclusive editorials from several candidates. In the congressional race, we had pieces from incumbent Phil English and challenger Kathy Dahlkemper. We also featured one from Democrat Cindy Purvis, who is challenging Jane Earll for her state senate seat.
The full list of Circuit City stores being closed has been released and Erie’s store is not on the list. You can see the list here. In fact, no stores in Pennsylvania are closing.
The trial of former Judge Michael Joyce is still going on. We can only imagine the attention it will get after the elctions are over. Yesterday a lawyer for Erie Insurance testified that he urged Joyce’s claim be handled expeditiously because of his position as a Superior Court judge.
The Erie Times-News has done some investigative reporting regarding David Justka and his driving history. You will remember Justka is the former EMTA bus driver that killed one person and injured two other pedestrians while on the job. The Times found out that Justka had been involved in five other accidents and issued several traffic citations both on and off the job. The union representing Justka has not (yet) appealed the October 16 firing of Justka.
Michael Golde has been named the new superintendent of the Millcreek Township School District. Golde is currently superintendent of the Chichester School District outside Philadelphia.
Timothy Villa was found dead near railroad tracks in the city this past Sunday around 2 a.m. The coroner suspects Villa might have been drinking at a Halloween party shortly before he was struck by a passing train.
Governor Ed Rendell announced a number of appointments including the Lake Erie and Genessee Basin Regional Water Resources Committee where Susan L. Moyer of Erie and Martha M. Sherman of Albion have been appointed.
Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers handled the Washington Redskins pretty easily, beating them 23-6. A little bad news for Steeler fans – QB Ben Roethisberger didn’t play the second half after injuring either a shoulder or his hand late in the first half. No word if he’ll play next week, though backup Byron Leftwich led 2 touchdown drives. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Pittsburgh – they face Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts next week and San Diego the week after.
The field for the 26th annual McDonald’s High School Basketball Classic has been announced. Teams playing include host Cathedral Prep, Westbury Christian from Texas, Chester and Archbishop Carroll. Tickets for the event go on sale November 10 at the Prep athletics office.
If you’re wondering why Penn State is still #3 despite a loss by the Texas Longhorn’s this weekend to Texas Tech, you’re in good company. The BCS rankings changed ever so slightly with Alabama as #1 and Texas Tech moving up past PSU to #2.
Erie high school Strong Vincent was ranked #2 in the PIAA rankings for division AAA football. SV finished with a solid record of 10-0 while #1 Thomas Jefferson finished with a record of 9-1 (Penn State fans can sympathize).
The NBA Development League Erie BayHawks will host a NBA Development League Draft Party on Friday, November 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fox and Hound English Pub and Grille, 250 Millcreek Plaza. Everyone who attends the event will have the opportunity to win great prizes including signed gear from the BayHawks NBA affiliates, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers throughout the evening. The event will also feature free food and drink specials, an appearance from the BayHawks coaching staff, John Treloar and Ben McDonald and the opportunity to meet members of the BayHawks Dance Team and “Clutch” the mascot.
Senior goalkeeper Jen Macri of the Mercyhurst College field hockey team has been selected to participate in the 2008 NFHCA Division II North/South Senior All-Star Game, announced Monday afternoon by NFHCA officials.
The Edinboro University football team climbed one spot from seventh to sixth place in the latest NCAA Division II regional rankings. While a small move, it is a potentially huge jump as the season reaches its final week. The top six teams in each of the four regions will qualify for the NCAA Division II Playoffs at the end of the season.
Allegheny cross country coach Bill Ross was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Coach of the Year for the sixth time in seven years.
Gannon officials have moved the start time for Saturday’s (November 8) Gannon-Bloomsburg football game at Gannon University Field to 12 p.m. The start time has been moved up one hour due to the possibility of the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women’s Soccer Final Four being played at Gannon University Field. The Gannon University women’s soccer team will host Indiana (Pa.) in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) quarterfinal match Tuesday, November 4, at 1 p.m.
Events
Please vote today. KTHNXBAI.
If you want a break from all the election stuff – head to the Blasco Library for a free concert by the Gem City Band.
The Friends of the Rice Avenue Community Public Library will hold its annual spaghetti dinner this evening from 5 – 7 p.m. The dinner will be held at the Girard High School the cost is $7.50 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 – 12, and kids under age 6 eat for free.
TechQuest is having a special event in Erie on Thursday, November 6. Please join us at 4:00 p.m. and our TechQuest Broadband team for an Exaflood presentation followed by a TechNet networking happy hour from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Both events will be held at the Technology Council of NW PA offices in the new Erie Technology Incubator.
View this past Sunday’s comprehensive events list to see a list of events for the week and months ahead. If you would like your event posted here, please contact us via our online form.
I just voted at Jefferson school at 38th & Old French in Erie. There were 45 people ahead of me in line and I waited about 35 minutes. I have never seen a crowd like this on election day. Everyone was upbeat and friendly and it really reminds you that high voter turnout is sign of a strong Democracy. My wife got there at 6:45am to vote and she was 10th in line. I hope everyone gets a chance to participate in this great democratic process. And no matter who wins I'll support the next President and wish him the best.
Well said HeavyD. At my polling location I was there at 7 a.m. and there must have been 60-80 people already in line. This election is going to have a crazy high turnout.
I voted this morning and was #89 on the books at my poll in Millcreek.
Line was stretched out the door and into the parking lot but moved swiftly.
Couple of oddities:
1) 1 out of the 5 machines in the station was not being used (already broken at 7:45am??)
2) Guy behind me wasn't in the books, his wife was and he should've been right below her… he had lived here 10 years and hasn't moved but he was GONE from the books. A little scary. He had to fill a provisional ballot–that'd piss me off!
I was at Central to vote at about 7:15 and the line was the longest I have ever seen. It wasn't too bad at a 30 minute wait, but I did hear one of the women working the sign in sheet say that it was the most she had ever registered in the first hour. It's been the watercooler talk this monring about how busy, or not busy (in the county) each voting place has been.
I voted at JS Wilson, at 6:30 this morning I was the 7th person in line, when I left there were around 60 people in line with more pulling in.
I'm hoping for a big turnout for the election.
I voted at 7:15 in Wesley. I was done voting and back in my car by 7:30AM.
A comment in the polling line from the staff, “We've never had lines”
There was a short line ahead of me when I voted at the Cambridge Springs Public Library at 7:05–total elapsed time walking/waiting/twittering/voting/walking back to car was 9 minutes. Even had time to stop and bring in mini-donuts to work.
I just got back from voting at St. Paul's in Millcreek. At just after 9:00 am, my husband and I were numbers 266 and 267! I have voted there late in the day in the past and not even been as high as 200. The line to sign in was short but there were around 30 people ahead of us in the voting line. The process went smoothly and all 5 booths were in service. No incidents. Now I can sit here and worry for the rest of the day. ;-)
I voted at JoAnna Connell on East 38th Street, got there around 7:50 and waited about 25 minutes. They split the lines up between “North of 38th Street” voters and “South of 38th Street” voters, and the South line seemed much longer. I've never voted in the morning before, so I don't know what usual turnout in the area is for that time of day. I was number 167. Discussed home security issues with others in line, as our neighborhood has had several robberies of late.
went to edison at 10am and was #206. there was only 3 people in front of me. i was in and out in 5 minutes. that's what she said.
I voted around 7:45 this morning at Kingsley Methodist at 9th and Cran. This is my 3rd election voting there and I have never had to wait before, there were 14 people in line ahead of me when I got there and probably 25 behind me by the time I left. People were excited and the atmosphere was great. I think that Kingsley is one of the smaller voting places, but it was great to feel the energy! Democracy!
I voted at 7 10 am this morning at Emerson-Gridley School on Park Ave. [aka West 6th St around Gridley Park]. I was fourth in line outside at 615 a.m. They did not allow us in the building until a little after 7 am. I estimate there were around thirty people in line at that time. I agree, everyone was very respectful, friendly and up-beat. It was refreshing to see. The poll workers looked a bit stressed to see all the people as voter turnout is usually pretty light there. But everything was going smoothly when I was at the polling place. They had it in a different location inside the school [the gymnasium on the North side of the building] rather than the smaller room we usually vote in on the East side of the building. But there were plenty of directional signs in place for everyone to find it.
The democratic process is alive and well in Erie, Pennsylvania!
Voted mid-morning at Wesbury in Meadville. I was #315 after a wait of about an hour and 15 minutes. I've never seen a line that long, but most people were good natured about the wait.
I voted at 11:30 at Trinity Lutheran at 38th & State. There was no line and we were in and out in under 5 minutes.
I voted a bit after 10 at Presbyterian Home on West Lake Road and Manchester. There were about 40 people ahead of me but was only there around 20 minutes. It went really smoothly. I was number 606.
I voted at 2pm at Wayside Presbyterian on Asbury. My precinct uses two lines, A-M and N-Z. There were several men in the first line but no one in mine. I have no idea what number I was, but they handled the log books differently than the primary. Last election one woman was filling out both log books and this time it was one woman filling out one book… After that there was three ahead of me waiting for a machine so it was only a few minute wait from there. The church had their kitchen open too and there was a lot of people there.
I voted around 1:20 PM at Emmanuel U. Presbyterian Church on the east side. About three people in front of me so it took 5 min. or so. My number was about 330 which is nearly half of the 700 registered voters in my precinct…and that's with 6 1/2 hours of voting to go.
I voted at around 7:45 AM at St. Andrew's, and I think I was somewhere in between 70 and 100. It has been fairly steady all day. I am taking the day off from work to be a poll watcher. Fortunately, I live across the street, so it is easy to take a brief break and let the dogs out and sneak in a blog entry. ;)
I voted at 5 pm at the 7th Day Aventist Church on Hunter Willis Rd off of Rte 97 in Millcreek. My number was 1046….lines moved quickly & I was in and out within 10 mins….Was turned off by the church having a bake sale within feet of the polling booths. I don't think raising money on election day is the proper thing to do. It's as if the church wants to be thanked for opening their doors to us……