Woodstock voters have no trouble at polls

Classmate Sean Haberkorn and I traveled one exit north on the Thruway to Woodstock to interview voters. During our drive, we saw only one McCain-Palin yard sign. There were plenty of signs for Obama-Biden and for Maurice Hinchey, who's the Democratic incumbent running for Congress. One home-made sign that read, "No Bama, write in Hillary," was placed at a strategic intersection in the town. There was plenty of parking for those driving to the polls.

We arrived around noon, and walked into the polling place inside the Town Hall. There were only a handful of people there and no lines to speak of. There were only two voting machines, both of which were the lever models.

The first person we talked to was 72 year-old Eleanor Steffen of Woodstock, who has never missed an election she's been able to participate in. Disappointed in the last two elections, she said this year's was the most emotional. She added that she had no problem voting. Fellow Woodstock native John Holt, 40, also said he had no problems. He stated that it's always been easy. Ruth Lawson, 42, who was voting with her young daughter agreed.

After getting kicked out of the polling place by an election worker, we talked outside the Town Hall with the Baers, who said they were in their 50s. They said they had no troubles voting, but confessed their fears that the lever machines would be replaced by new electronic versions. Robin Free, 55, a Woodstock native who is handicapped and confined to a wheelchair, said that in 2004 she had trouble reaching the levers on the voting machine, and had to ask a friend to help her vote. This go-around she said, "I took responsibility," and got help from an election worker before she entered the booth. She said she isn't usually involved in the political process, but asserts this is a "big election." She proudly stated that she voted for Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama, and for Democrats running for other offices.