Voter turnout OK, few polling hiccups

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - In the long run, Election 2010 barely had any hiccups or trouble in collecting votes in Rhode Island. The most interesting developments: an allegation from an independent that votes were being influenced -- and a car that crashed into a polling place.

Chafee campaign complaint

The most serious potential problem came at a polling place at the Oxford Place apartment complex on Gordon Avenue in Providence. Independent Lincoln Chafee's campaign filed a complaint with the state board of elections that a poll worker was instructing Hispanic voters to vote for Democrats.

An immediate investigation revealed it was a miscommunication. The poll worker was explaining how the straight party or master lever option worked -- to select all candidates for either Democrat, Moderate, or Republican parties.

"When they were explained that there was an option to vote, apparently the voter misunderstood, thinking they had to vote Straight Party," said the Rhode Island Board of Elections' Robert Kando.

That satisfied a volunteer for the Chafee campaign that there was no wrongdoing: "It's very common for people to not be understanding what they're told sometimes at the polls," said Kenneth Haupt. "It sounds like a woman got an explanation for using the master lever confused. I'll accept that explanation."

Car hits Westerly polling place

Another exception was a car that rammed into a polling place -- a firehouse -- in Westerly. The Westerly Sun reported a car crashed into a wall at the Dunn's Corners Fire Department just after 7:00 a.m., hit a gas line, and forced voters and poll workers to evacuate for fear of an explosion.

Nobody was hurt, and the driver reportedly told police her gas pedal stuck.

Turnout: not great, not terrible, but okay

It was a picture-perfect fall day for any activity, even one taking you inside to potentially stand in line and stare at a sheet of paper.

Besides those exceptions, the actual voting process was mostly problem-free at every polling place.

Official turnout counts won't be tallied till later, but observations from people in Warwick, Providence, East Providence, Johnston, and Pawtucket estimated that voter turnout was moderate (in the first election where the Moderate Party was a major player); neither heavy nor light.

"We do encourage everybody to get out and vote," said Kando. "As you know, everybody's concerned about government these days."