Local voter registration ‘highest ever’

Local municipal clerks are reporting a big surge in voter registration and requests for absentee ballots for this year?s presidential race, which also includes key races for U.S. Congress and Senate.Wednesday was the deadline to register for the Nov. 6. election.In Saugus, Town Clerk Joanne Rappa reported that in the last few weeks residents have been streaming in by the hundreds to register.In fact, on Wednesday alone, Rappa said her office set a new record with 175 new voters.?We had people at one point outside filling out registrations in the hallway,” said Rappa. “The last two weeks it?s been crazy. It?s been, every day, an extremely large amount of applications coming in.”Rappa said her office has registered 668 voters since Sept. 6, and 311 in the last week.With so many races, Rappa said it?s no surprise this many people have been stopping by her office.?You have the Brown and Warren race and even Tierney and Tisei,” said Rappa, referring to the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren; and the Sixth District race for U.S. Representative among longtime incumbent John Tierney, GOP challenger Richard Tisei and Libertarian Daniel Fishman. “They?re all very contentious. It?s going to be very interesting.”Saugus is not the only community seeing an increase.Lynn City Clerk Mary Audley said that on Aug. 15 she had 48,000 voters registered but the number has since jumped to 50,115.?We have probably another 500 to file,” she added. “It will be up over the 51,000 mark when all is said and done, and that?s the highest I?ve ever seen.”Audley said it is not unusual to see voter registration numbers jump for a presidential election, but this year has been unprecedented.?We?ve had a steady stream of people in here,” she said. “Yesterday we didn?t stop.”But it?s not just voter registration keeping Rappa?s office busy. She said she?s seen a record number of absentee ballot application too with close to 500.?I think we?re going to top the last presidential election,” said Rappa. “We had 75 percent (voter turnout) last time and we?re going to go up.”Rappa said she?s guessing the town can reach at least 82 percent turnout on election day, and her office will be working hard all the way through.?We?re tired, but we?re happy that people are coming out,” said Rappa. “It?s too bad it takes a race like this for people to come out and exercise their rights.”Voters have until Nov. 5 to apply for an absentee ballot.Revere Election Commissioner Diane Colella said her co-workers are still processing 757 registration applications filed before Wednesday?s registration deadline and dating back to Oct. 1.By contrast, Colella said 540 voters registered in the first two weeks of October, 2008.?Our numbers have increased dramatically,” Colella said.She said 18,208 voters were registered to cast ballots in the November 2008 presidential election compared to more than 26,000 registered to vote on Nov. 6.That number, Colella said, includes 11,575 unenrolled voters – almost 4,000 more than 2008 – along with increases in major party enrollments.Thor Jourgensen and Chris Stevens of The Daily Item staff contributed to this report.For more election news, visit itemlive.com/electionMatt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].