Voter turnout could create some problems

REVERE – Echoing concerns already raised by the state?s top election official, city Election Director Diane Colella warned that some local polling places could be overwhelmed by the Nov. 4 election?s record turnout.Colella is particularly concerned about the Whelan School where at least two-thirds of the 2,944 residents registered to vote at the school are expected to turn out on Election Day.By contrast, 2,260 voters were registered in September 2004 to vote in Ward 6, Precincts 1 and 2. Sixty-seven percent of registered local voters cast ballots in the 2004 presidential election and 69 percent voted in 2000.Colella on Tuesday said she is organizing meetings with school officials and police to help her resolve potentially “horrendous” parking and traffic problems prior to the election.?I?ve sent out about 900 e-mails,” she said, adding that Liston Towers and other locations that lack large parking areas could see parking and traffic problems on Nov. 4.Her warnings mirror concerns raised by Secretary of State William Galvin who has already asked municipal clerks and election officials to make plans to handle large Election Day crowds.The deadline to register to vote in the election is Oct. 15 and Galvin hopes to add 100,000 new voters by the deadline.Saying, “It?s going to be historic in the context of its turnout,” Galvin predicted that more than 2.9 million voters will participate in the presidential election. Nearly 4.1 million people were eligible to vote as of last Tuesday.Galvin said he asked municipal clerks and local elections officials to review their polling locations with an eye towards ensuring there is enough physical space to handle crowds on Nov. 4.At 2,927,455, more Massachusetts voters participated in the 2004 presidential election than any of its predecessors.Galvin urged voters who have not voted since the last presidential election or who have moved to a new community to re-register or to verify their registration status with local elections officials to make sure they are on the rolls and have not been deleted. It could help them avoid unnecessarily waiting in lines on Election Day, he said.In addition to helping decide the race between Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama and Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, Revere voters will choose between U.S. John Kerry and Republican Jeffrey Beatty and U.S. Rep. Edward Markey and Republican John Cunningham, an Overlook Ridge resident.Voters will also approve or reject binding initiative petitions that would eliminate the income tax, decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, and ban dog racing.Voters can register with municipal clerks or mail in affidavits inside voter registration booklets mailed out by the Secretary of State?s office.