Polls reveal proactive voting trend; turnout was poor, but most of

those who did checked ‘yes’ on ballot.

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT-MESA -- Despite the dismal turnout typical of special elections,

most of the voters who ventured to the polls Tuesday appeared to cast

their ballots in favor of the school bond.

“I hope it passes,” said mother Stephanie Williams, who persistently

visited three different polling places before finding the one for her

district. She was, she said, determined to vote.

For months, countless volunteers lobbied residents to vote in favor of

the $110-million bond measure intended to repair all 29 of Newport-Mesa’s

crumbling schools.Still, Gretchen Peterson, an aid at Victoria Elementary

School, was worried about the low turnout. Sure enough, just 20% of

registered voters cast their ballots.

“Hopefully, the ones that will come out will vote for it,” she said.

“Schools are in desperate need of renovation.”

Peterson hoped right. Nearly 72% voted for the bond, which required

two-thirds voter approval, or 66.6%, in order to pass.

The needs of each of the district’s 29 schools range from fixing leaky

roofs to repaving driveways.

Polling booths were set up at about 6:30 a.m. and remained open until 8

p.m. But eight hours into the day, fewer than 100 of the 2,000 voters

expected to show up at various booths had voted.

The cross-section of voters was mixed, volunteers said. There were

grandparents worried about their grandchildren, parents concerned about

their children and some that were simply loyal voters.

The biggest turnout at some of polling places situated at elementary

school were children who came to watch residents vote.

“The big rush was school kids coming to learn about voting,” said

volunteer Bob Leidner, who passed the hours doing crossword puzzles and

chatting with the other volunteers.