On a cool, gray November election day, Brandon Township resident Amy Price waited with her 5-year old daughter Hannah to cast her ballot.
‘There is such a big difference between presidential candidates,? said Price, who voted at Brandon Fire Station No. 2 near Sashabaw Road. ‘We all come out for one (candidate) or the other.
Our nation is at war too’that’s another important reason we’re all here.?
Price was just one of a record number of area voters that swelled voting precincts locally and nationwide.
‘A little after 6 a.m. voting lines began forming,? said Mike Faust, a Brandon Firefighter supervising the No. 2 precinct voting.
‘By 9:30 the lines went out the door into the parking lot. When people have to wait they get agitated, but for the most part it went pretty well. In my 10 years of doing this I’ve never seen crowds like this.?
In Brandon Township, 74 percent of registered voters cast 8,021 votes compared to 6,674 voters or 66 percent in 2000, according to township election reports.
Similarly, in Groveland Township 73 percent or 3,226 registered voters cast ballots compared to 61 percent in 2000, where 2,724 of 4,403 registered voters headed to the polls.
While many of the races in area townships were decided in the August primary election, two local supervisor races were decided on Tuesday.
In Brandon Township, incumbent Ron Lapp (R ) defeated challenger Becky Gilpin (D) by nearly a three-to-one margin. Lapp snagged 4,757 votes (64 percent) and Gilpen tallied 2,713 votes (36 percent).
‘I’m delighted with the outcome of the election in Brandon Township,? said Lapp, re-elected Brandon Township supervisor who along with about 50 supporters gathered at Bullfrogs Restaurant after polls closed.
‘We as a (township) board have moved the township in a positive direction, and I believe that our residents spoke loud and clear that (our residents) weren’t fooled by my opponent’s negative campaign tactics. Politics by its very nature is adversarial, and at times contentious.?
‘Unfortunately my opponent chooses to conduct a campaign predicated on misinformation, and half-truths which our educated, well informed voters disregarded.
‘I am honored to serve another four years as the Brandon Township Supervisor.?
In other Brandon Township elections, library board trustee write-in candidate winners were Beth Bordner (232 votes), Frank Genovese (242 votes) and Royann Hassinger (332 votes). They will join re-elected incumbents Matthew Ault with 3,375 votes, Alice Hine, 3,528 votes and Margaret Lee, 3,494.
In Atlas Township, no breakdown of total ballots cast was available by press time, although one precinct came close to running out of ballots, said supervisor Paul Amman.
In November 2000, of 4,810 registered Atlas Township voters, 3,716 cast votes, a 77.26 percent turnout.
In this November’s Hadley Township election, 2,698 ballots were cast out of 3,416 registered voters, a 78.9 percent voter turnout, said treasurer Lloyd Broecker.
In Hadley’s 2000 election, 3,218 registered voters cast 2,404 ballots (75 percent).
Township supervisor Bill Dutko will remain in office, garnering 1,362 votes. Challenger Mary Sweeney received 1,151 votes.
‘I’m grateful for the fact that people in the community feel I’ve earned their respect and confidence for another four years,? said Dutko.
‘We’re going to continue to do the right things in this community and hopefully do that to the majority of people’s satisfaction.?