Ten Morning Observations from Polling Stations around Boston

Published Nov 03 2009, 01:28 PM by Chris Faraone

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1 - I was barely out my door when an SUV rolled by broadcasting for Flaherty. To his credit, the aspiring bilingual Irish guy from Southie recorded his own announcement in both English and Spanish.

2 - Incumbent Councilor-at-Large John Connolly appears to have a family-fronted field organization to be reckoned with. In the seven polling stations I visited this morning, he had volunteers at six. Friendly folks, too.

3 - By 10:30am - at which time Flaherty made an appearance at English High School - the turnout there had been relatively low. One poll worker estimated that only 300 voters had come through.

4 - The oak tag-clad Flaherty-Yoon caravan is the goofiest fleet of campaign vehicles I’ve ever seen - something out of Hill Valley in Back to the Future. If it’s a people-run, scrap-together-whatever-resources-you-can-gather campaign you were looking for, then Floon is your ticket.

5 - I spoke with English High and Madison Park students who are of voting age, and, while most are registered, they remain undecided. Their question for me (that I had no good answer for): Why can’t they vote in school instead of all the way across the city where they live?

6 - According to Flaherty’s internal polling, about 9 percent of voters remain undecided. Of those confused souls, many live in Jamaica Plain, where Yoonity will spend much time until the polls close. “JP is a battleground,” Flaherty tells me.

7 - Campaign workers for all candidates seem to have a problem with text messaging instead of courting voters. If you’re a field operative, and you’re reading this on your iPhone, then you’re equally guilty. Get back to work.

8 - If the yard signs around Hyde Park are any indication, the southern part of this city will look like Flint, Michigan if Flaherty and Yoon win today.

9 - Things looked quiet at the Boston Public Library near Copley, where Flaherty’s people outnumbered his opponent’s two to zero. Note to Emerson journalism students: stop interviewing people in Back Bay and head to Charlestown, JP, and Roxbury where the real action is.

10 - There were two female Boston University students near Kenmore Square wearing Flaherty shirts and passing out literature. They told me that they’re trying to reach voters on their lunch breaks.

And one bonus leftover observation: By endorsing Menino, the Boston Globe managed to outdo the disservice that editors already perpetrated against readers by repeatedly mentioning the results of their dated, haphazardly conducted mayoral poll. Clearly someone doesn't read their own newspaper.

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2 Comments

• katesbJP said:

  But the only question that remains is why the Phoenix, which used to be the "progressive" paper of Boston, continues to pull for Flaherty, the most conservative candidate in this race.

  Where I come from, it's not progressive to vote AGAINST affirmative action, SUPPORT the death penalty, and vote AGAINST health benefits for gay parnters. It's not progressive to NEVER visit communities of color until you want their vote.

  And tagging Yoon along for the ride doesn't make Flaherty more progressive -- it makes him a desperate but conniving politician who knows he can't win unless he fakes some sort of progressive front -- which will end as soon as the election is over.

  MAYOR MENINO IS AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PROGRESSIVE CHOICE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON....

  "YOU DON'T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS!"

  I'M PROGRESSIVE, AND I'M WITH TOM MENINO!

  November 3, 2009 2:32 PM

• Sarah Scolari said:

  Most of these observations relate to Flaherty. Nice advocate piece. You're in the tank with those nitwit nightlifers, Faraone. So weird to watch a progressive "alternative" paper support the guy who marches in the homophobic St. Patrick's Day parade, opposes tenant rights, gay rights, you name it. Old Southie Boston is not the future of Boston I want to live in.

  November 3, 2009 3:12 PM

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