bANDERSON — Look at Ward 2 and you will see Anderson’s identity.
Lying directly south and slightly west of downtown Anderson, Ward 2 features street after street of residential neighborhoods, a few small businesses and more than a few community institutions.
Many of the homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate the growing number of auto industry workers, providing convenient access to Guide Lamp Co. to the west and various General Motors Corp. plants to the east. A few are showing their age.
But residents still draw pride from the United Auto Workers Local 663 Hall on 29th Street and Anderson Fire Department’s No. 3 fire station on Columbus Avenue.
And from South Side Middle School. That’s where Daniel Busby and Josh Bargo were stumping for a pair of Democratic candidates Tuesday on their first Election Day as voters.
Busby, 18, wore a T-shirt emblazoned with an enormous portrait of Barack Obama, and Bargo, also 18, handed out fliers for Madison County Superior Court 2 judge candidate George Pancol. Both were seated in yellow folding chairs outside the school, home to Precincts 7 and 8.
“We’ve had a lot of people supporting Barack Obama — he’s the man,” Busby said.
The two were on the job around from 7 to 11 a.m. and said 80 to 100 voters had passed them. At various times, Bargo said, both of them were talking up voters.
“Most people already know who they’re going to vote for,” he said. “But, maybe if they’re unsure we reassure them.”
By all accounts, voting ran smoothly on Tuesday with all precincts opening right on time at 6 a.m.
Madison County Clerk Ludy Watkins said a few precincts got a late start, but the complications were due in large part to human error.
“We had a few that got open late, but there weren’t any problems with the machines, it was just kind of human mistakes,” Watkins said. “If they don’t follow the steps to get the polls open on time.”
Watkins said a team of 13 machine technicians moved from precinct to precinct to address any complications.
The voters in Ward 2 are established, many of them traditional. Families, seniors. Middle and working class.
Tobi Jones decided to raise her family in Ward 2 and was working the election. She served as election inspector for Precinct 9, based at Meadowbrook Baptist Church, 119 E. 36th St., across the street from Meadowbrook Pizza and perhaps a mile from Meadowbrook Golf Course.
Jones brought her 14-year-old son, Dallas, along with her to give him a crash course in election-day politics.
“We’ve already voted way over our all-day total,” Tobi Jones said, referring to the 175 to 180 voters who had already come through her precinct. “There was a line to the end of the building at 6 o’clock this morning. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a line at 6 o’clock tonight, when we’re done.”
Voters got out early in Ward 2, hitting the polling places on the way to work. After steady voting during the day, the crowds returned after 4 p.m., the time most Anderson and Madison County employees are done for the day.
Jones came prepared to work beyond the hour when the polls normally close; she has worked Precinct 9 of Ward 2 in years past and knows that anyone standing in line at 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Tom Harmon, seated across the table but in a different precinct (Precinct 7 of Ward 6), was here for the first time, but seemed to be keeping up with the flow of voters.
“It’s been strong,” he said. “We’ve had 130 or 140 come through.”
The polling room inside the church was surprisingly small, with folding tables forming an island in the middle and voting machines lining the back wall.
Dallas, meanwhile, was helping keep the tally of voters. Still four years away from his first presidential election as an adult, he’s more engaged than many longtime voters.
Walnut Street Park, Stanton Park. Main Street Pay Less, the 29th Street business corridor. It’s all Ward 2.
The hard-working couples, the family insurance agencies and the neighborhood coin-operated laundry might not command the attention of Washington, but the people of Ward 2 can make or break an election.
Election 2011
7:13 p.m.: Ward 2: The identity of Anderson
- Election 2011
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Ockomon suing Spencer for alleged defamation
Mayor Kris Ockomon has filed a lawsuit against Teresa Spencer claiming false statements she made that resulted in damage to Ockomon. The suit claims that Spencer “provided false and unprivileged statements to the media and general public, orally and in writing."
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Election results at individual precincts changed a lot from '07
Democratic Mayor Kris Ockomon believes part of the blame for his re-election loss lies with the votes that went to Libertarian Rob Jozwiak instead of him. But Jozwiak disagrees and thinks that if he hadn’t been a candidate, Republican Kevin Smith would have still won.
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Summitville races in question
One of the candidates for Summitville’s clerk/treasurer said she is contemplating her next step is after alleging that she and other Democratic candidates witnessed several voting improprieties during Tuesday’s election.
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Editorial: Voters elect Smith, send message of disenchantment
Each of the three men who ran for mayor of Anderson can continue to play a vital part in the growth of the community. Here’s hoping they foster collaboration, rather than factionalism.
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Kevin Smith back as Anderson mayor
Four years after citizens chose not to re-elect Kevin Smith, they changed their minds. Smith, who was the Republican mayor from 2004 to 2007, was elected on Tuesday to retake office next year.
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Council incumbents re-elected; newcomer joins them
The eight incumbents who sought re-election to Anderson City Council got their wishes Tuesday, which left the Democratic party continuing to hold the majority. The ninth position will have a new face — Democrat Ty Bibbs in an at-large seat.
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Frankton gets new clerk/treasurer
At around 8:30 p.m. Kathy Hudson, Frankton Town Council clerk, had the final tally including the next person that would fill her shoes.
With almost double the votes, the duty went to Democratic candidate Jack Brown. -
Republicans oust Dems in Chesterfield
Republicans ousted two Democratic incumbents in the Chesterfield election Tuesday night. Deborah Dunham will replace Candy Bennett as the clerk/treasurer and Jerry Fields will fill Lynette Carter’s seat on the town council.
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Dockrey upset in Alexandria council race
A second shot at running for office paid off for Dan Stanley. The Democratic at-large candidate led the final election results Tuesday with 32 percent of the vote, landing a spot on Alexandria City Council.
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Arnold overcomes Democratic dominance in Elwood
A five-point plan including the establishment of a development commission proved to be the difference in Republican candidate Ron Arnold’s campaign for Elwood mayor.
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