Turnout mostly light, but numbers increase for state rep race in Lynn

LYNN – Most poll workers said the voter turnout was slightly above average and better than usual for a primary. As evening approached, poll workers and voters at Breed Middle School primarily cited the 11th Essex District seat as the major draw to the polls, with Brendan Crighton and Charlie Gallo the main contenders.But poll worker Tony Amara said voters also stated they would be satisfied no matter which of the two main candidates won.”The consensus is no matter who wins, it will be good,” Amara said. “It’s actually too bad one has to lose.”Tom Carey and Dennis Lloyd, precincts 3 and 1, respectively, said they each knew the Gallo and Crighton families, which made choosing between the two difficult.Both said they were concerned about the city budget, particularly maintaining West Lynn services as more and more residents come to settle in Lynn.”It’s a city within a city,” Carey said of West Lynn. “In City Hall they are more interested in giving themselves raises than paving the roads.”It was shortly after 8 p.m. when Gallo conceded the race to Crighton, and, when he did, his grandmother, Lorraine Gallo, gave him a hug and chided him gently.”Look at the number of votes I got, you are where you are supposed to be,” she said.Lorraine Gallo was precinct captain in Ward 5 precinct 4, where Gallo picked up 143 votes. She said 143 is a special number for her late husband, for whom Charlie was named.”It means ?I love you,'” she said. “This is my wedding anniversary ? I think your grandfather is telling you this is where you are supposed to be. They must need you more on the local level. You are supposed to be here.”Gallo only nodded in response to his grandmother’s philosophical explanation, but he did say later that there is nothing he would have done differently.”I enjoy where I am, and there is still a lot of work to do,” he said.When Gallo learned that incumbent John Tierney had lost his primary to newcomer Seth Moulton, he quieted his party for an announcement.”Another unfortunate event has taken place,” he said. “John Tierney has lost. John Tierney is a great friend, a great leader for this district and this is a great loss for the United States.”
SaugusBy 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, slightly more than 1,000 voters in six of the 10 precincts had cast their ballots.With 154 votes at 2 p.m., Precinct 9 Poll Warden Steve Taylor said that the turnout was light but “more than expected.” He explained that a fair number of people came in the morning after dropping their children off at Oaklandvale Elementary School, which housed the polls. He said he expected his location to be busier as former state Sen. Richard Tisei is the only Republican running.”It’s been very smooth; my police officer hasn’t had to do anything,” said Taylor.The polls for precincts 2 and 6 had a combined total of 312 votes at 2:15 p.m.Rosalie Caci, poll warden of Precinct 2, and Marion Attubato, clerk of Precinct 6, did not report any problems at their location at Veterans Elementary School.Caci said her precinct experienced a bump in activity around 10 a.m. However, voter traffic dropped off thereafter.”It’s erratic,” she said. “Usually in primaries, you don’t get a big turnout,” added Attubato.While younger voters were expected later in the day, Caci and Attubato said that older residents represented the majority of the turnout thus far.By 2:45 p.m., Precinct 5 had seen 180 of its 1,500 registered voters.”They’re more interested in the next election,” said Warden Pat Donovan. “If it wasn’t for the senior citizens no one would be voting.”She pointed out that name recognition has also been a problem.”I’ve never heard of half these people,” she said.Precinct 8 had run its tally up to 222 by 3:15 p.m.”To be honest, we’re doing better than they are,” said Poll Warden Pat Copeland of the 142 votes recorded by Precinct 4, which shared the gymnasium at Belmonte Middle School.Copeland explained that her 200-plus number was attributed to the senior citizens at the apartment co