Barstow sees low turnout in election

This story was updated at 9:30 p.m

In past elections, a line of voters met Valarie Dwight when she opened the polls at St. Philip Neri Church. On Tuesday, however, she had to wait about 20 minutes before the first voter showed up.

“This is a slow election,” she said. “Only those who are really dedicated voters will come out to vote.”
Polling places across Barstow saw low voter turnout throughout the day.

Many poll workers thought the light ballot on Tuesday kept people away from the polls. Poll inspector Alan Whittaker felt that maybe voters didn’t care about this election.

“Its probably voter apathy. There’s not really much on the ballot,” he said.

Although there were approximately 2,400 voters assigned to Whittaker’s voting station at the Seventh Day Adventist Church only 110 voters had shown up by 6:30 p.m.. “We never had anybody waiting on a voting table,” said Whittaker. The First Baptist Church had about as many registered voters assigned to its polling place, and they had received 192 votes by 6:30.

Not everyone stayed away from the polls. Voters who showed up on Tuesday said the two eminent domain propositions, 98 and 99, and the First District county supervisors race brought them out to vote. Jim Waln considered himself a dedicated voter and was the seventh person to vote in Lenwood Tuesday morning. Waln would not share how he voted but encouraged others to vote.

“I feel it’s a privilege, an honor, and I think every American should do it,” he said.

David Arizaga, who voted at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, said he always votes. Otherwise, he does not feel he can complain about the people in office. Some, like Danny Castillo, said they came out to vote in the primaries so they could start to focus on the November ballot.

Two candidates vying Tuesday to be on the November ballot, Republican Assembly candidates Becky Maze and Bob Smith, said the low turnout figures in the morning did not trouble them. Maze said her campaign planned to call people to get out the vote.

Student poll worker Amal Museitef noticed the difference in voter turnout for this election compared to the February primary election. In February, Californians voted in a presidential primary.

“I was here for the presidential primaries, this is like a 300 percent difference,” said Museitef.

Dwight expected Tuesday’s numbers to be lower than February as well. She said about 800 people out of the 1,700 registered voted at her station in February. She expected 200 on Tuesday.

City Editor Aaron Aupperlee contributed to this report.