Liquor question helps bring voters to polls
MIDDLESEX TWP — For some, it wasn't the issues — a Mars school board race and a referendum on whether to allow liquor licenses in the township — that drew them to the polls for Tuesday's primary election. It was family.
That's the reason Nick Protos was handing out literature for his son-in-law, Kevin Hagen, a candidate for the Mars school board, at the polling station in the Middlesex Township Building on Browns Hill Road.
“My wife's out at the polls. My daughter's out, my oldest granddaughter is at one of the polls,” said Protos, the senior pastor at Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Valencia.
“This is the first time my family's done this. He's the first one in the family to run,” said Protos. “I took the morning off, so I'm here to 12.”
“It's been brisk,” said Protos of the voter turnout for the primary election. “There's been more than I thought I would see at the backside of the building.”
“I think it's a combination of the school board and the liquor referendum,” said Protos as reasons for the turnout.
That's what brought township resident Laura Ando to the polls with her son, Brett, 5.
“I would have voted anyway, I usually do,” said Ando.
But a chance to cast a vote to make Middlesex wet proved to be an added impetus, she said.
“It would be nice to have a nice restaurant in the area, especially with Middlesex Crossing going in,” said Ando, mentioning the townhome complex under construction at Routes 8 and 228.
Fellow township resident Chris Cherry said, “I'm a believer in voting. It's an honor to be able to vote. My dad brought me up right.”
As for the liquor referendum, Cherry said, “I'm hoping to see that pass. With Middlesex Crossing, we're hoping to see some restaurants there, something more than Kings or Denny's, things like that.”
Fellow voter Patricia MacDonald is also in favor of granting liquor licenses in the township.
“I think we need it here to promote business and growth for the area,” she said.
It wasn't only campaign workers and voters lining the sidewalks outside the polling place. Candidates were present to drum up a little last-minute support.
Kelly Ferrari, Republican candidate for prothonotary, was visiting polling places in Adams Township and Mars as well as Middlesex.
“I think this has been a busy polling place because of the liquor referendum and school board race,” she said.
Asked about her own race, Ferrari said, “I'm feeling really positive. I think that it's time for a change in that office.”
Two Mars school board candidates, Jill Roda and Bill Sommers, stopped by after having previously visited polling places in Adams Township and Adams Ridge.
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas candidate William “Wink” Robinson said, “I've been going from polling station to polling station. Campaigning is much more strenuous than I may have imagined. I have a new appreciation for campaign workers.”
Robinson said he ran a self-financed campaign without a campaign committee or staff.
Robinson said the race was nearly over.
“It's up to the voters now,” said Robinson. “I'm gong to stay positive and watch the results in my law office next to the government center.”
