School Election Polls Slow in Mattituck and Southold

The expected after-work rush from voters at North Fork school districts didn’t quite happen on Tuesday afternoon into evening for election 2012— the slowest election workers had seen in quite some time.

Some workers in Mattituck blamed it on the rain.

“When we first opened the doors at 3 p.m. people were waiting in line,” said election volunteer Barbara Jean Smith at about 5:15 p.m. “But now I think the rain is keeping them away.”

Smith said about 400 had come through the doors of by 5 p.m. One of those voters was Debbie Kimmelman of Mattituck, a third-grade teacher in Southold. She said she had no problem voting for a $38,004,156 spending plan for 2012-13, an increase of spending of $640,917 and an estimated 2.19 percent increase in the tax levy.

“Schools need the money,” she said. “It’s nothing to pay a small amount monthly or weekly — compared to all the money I spend on everything else …. $5 at Starbucks, I mean, come on.”

Another Mattituck resident, Ed — who did not want to give his last name — said that he felt that there was no reason not to vote yes for the proposed budget.

“The percentage is so low,” he said of the proposed spending increase. “The board has done a great job keeping the budget as tight as possible.”

In Southold, election worker Mary Dewey said she estimated that about 400 to 500 people had voted by about 6 p.m., but that turn-out was slow at compared to years past due to the driving rain.

“I think the weather definitely played a part — especially for our senior citizens,” she said.

Margaret Skabry of Peconic said that she was determined to come out and vote, rain or shine, though she didn’t want to say whether she voted yes or no for Southold’s proposed $27,024,043 budget for 2012-2013 — an increase in spending of $770,000.

“Budgets are tough for everyone right now, young and old,” she said after voting. “But my kids went here. We still come out and do the right thing.” 

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