Voters may stay away from polls

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.comTimes Leader Staff Writer

and Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.comStaff Writer

A pair of academic observers predict the headlines that encouraged 17 candidates to vie for two Luzerne County judgeships won’t have the same effect on primary voters.

In fact, they say, the bewildering number of candidates could dampen voter turnout rather than boosting it.

Tom Baldino of Wilkes University and David Sosar of King’s College said last week that voter apathy will keep turnout at or below the typical primary election figure for a municipal election year.

A third professor – Brian Carso at Misericordia University – said if ever there was a year to get out and vote, this would be it. He said Tuesday could begin a cleanup of corruption in Luzerne County … if voters elect candidates with experience and integrity.

Despite a plethora of school board, municipal and county row office positions on the ballot, the county judicial race and the question of whether to form a Home Rule Study Commission are getting the lion’s share of attention. But confusion over the home rule issue and a large candidate pool for the judge race could actually play a role in keeping turnout low.

Baldino said for the most part only the “hard core politicos” will turn out for a primary election.

“By that, I mean those who take their civic obligation seriously. That’s not the average person. It’s a very small part of the electorate,” he said.

Sosar said some voters may come out specifically to support one or a handful of candidates but for the most part the ballot isn’t interesting enough for them. He agreed with Baldino that the large slate of judge candidates could do more harm than good in attracting voters.

The turnout might be stronger if a handful of candidates were contesting for the two seats, giving voters the opportunity to get to know them better.

“With 17 names, it’s too overwhelming. It will turn them away,” Sosar predicted.

Had this vote been held late last year or earlier this year the turnout might be stronger, but time has allowed for resentment and animosity over courthouse corruption to die down.

“I don’t see a lot of the anger that people have had in the last few months pulling people out to vote,” Sosar said.

Leonard C. Piazza III, county director of elections, said based on past primaries in municipal election years, he’s expecting a turnout between 30 percent and 40 percent.

“I don’t think it’s going to be any higher or lower,” Piazza said, noting that in 2007, the turnout rate was 36 percent of eligible voters. That ballot had a two-man race for one judicial seat with David Lupas defeating Tom Marsilio on both the Republican and Democratic ballots. Two years earlier, turnout was 31 percent. He doesn’t believe the current judicial race will drive voter turnout.

Piazza said as of Wednesday, 2,510 absentee ballots had been distributed and 1,419 had been executed. In 2007, 2,115 absentee ballots were requested and 1,831 were completed. In 2005, 1,133 of 1,428 absentees were cast. To show how interest is increased during presidential election years, Piazza said 3,931 absentee ballots were sent out for the 2008 general election and 3,336 were cast.

Carso said if turnout is low it could be because voters are burned out, coming off a year-long presidential election during which airwaves were inundated with political advertisements.

“It’s just six months later,” Carso said. “People could be saying ‘Oh no, not another election.’ Voters may not be as focused as they should be.”

Carso said the tendency could be toward cynicism and voters’ attitudes should be the opposite. He said this is a critical time for voters to subscribe to the belief that they really can make a difference.

“Ultimately, the only thing that will effect real change is having good candidates,” Carso said. “And voters have to recognize who those good candidates are.”

Carso said the county judicial race is a good example of how voters can get turned off simply because there are so many candidates and determining who is best among them is a difficult task.

“Voters often think that law is some type of magical arena that the average person is not capable of making a decision on who should be a judge,” he said. “I discourage that thinking. People should look at their resumes; they don’t need to know the law – just size up the person.”

Carso said if voters take the time to review each candidate’s experience and record of integrity and hard work, they can feel confident casting their ballots.

“People should never shy away from making their own judgments,” he said.