At the Polls in Old Lyme, East Lyme, and Lyme

Voter turnout in Old Lyme and Lyme started out low and slow today. That's not unusual, said Lyme Republican Registrar of Voters Kathy Gigliotti. Typically voting picks up after school and office hours but, she added, "who knows in August? We don't have a lot of August elections." 

The story was the same in Old Lyme. "The turnout's light," said Republican Town Committee Chairman John Bysko. "I don't think August is a good month. I think they'll be lucky to get 20 percent. I know absentee ballots were almost nonexistent." 

In Lyme, each party had two races but voter turnout was struggling to get to 10 percent by noon. In Old Lyme and East Lyme, Republicans, who had two primary races, were turning out in greater numbers than registered Democrats, who had just one primary race. 

"It's two-to-one Republicans," said Old Lyme Election Moderator Kurt Zemba. 

By comparison, voter turnout was pretty steady in East Lyme. "It's a little bit slower [than usual] but not much," said Nancy Moran, East Lyme's Republican Registrar of Voters.

With East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica in the running against Daria Novak, both of whom are vying for Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney's seat in the Second District, this became a local election for East Lyme voters.

"I think Paul's been such a great leader for the town," said poll volunteer Esther Williams, who retired as East Lyme's town clerk in April after holding the position for 35 years. "We really don't want to lose him but he can do bigger and better things."