Election Day Notebook

(UPDATED 10 P.M.) Welcome to Tewksbury Patch's coverage of Election Day 2010. I will be updating this column throughout the day with the latest news from Tewksbury's polling places and the campaigns of the state representative and state senate candidates.

If you have news tips or information about the final day of the primary campaign, I want to know. You can connect with me at williamg@patch.com.

But also, feel free to post your own photos, video or comments relating to the election day right here.

The polls are open, the weather is beautiful. But what is clar thus far is that voter turnout is light. As of 1 p.m. at Precinct 3 at the Senior Center, just 187 people had voted (of 2460 registered voters. The same was true for 3A (204 of 2236), 4 (198 of 1889) and 2 (159 of 1987). Precincts 4, 4A, 2 and 2A vote at the Library.

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3 p.m. - Remarkably, after a rather spirited campaign season, the campaigning being done around the polling places is rahter laid back. No whooping or hollering or even any playful banter. Mostly the volunteers are holding their signs solently and waving at cars.

Expect the voter turnout to pick up with school out and work shifts getting out soon. Low turnouts tend to favor the well-organized campaigns and the incumbants. Winners may be determined today on who can get their supporters out to the polls best.

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6:30 p.m. After an afternoon lull, voter participation is starting to pick up but overall the numbers are low.

Candidates are also starting to make appearances at polling locations. Hometown state Senate candidate Patrick Rahilly was spotted at the Public Library area.

Campaigning is still reserved as party members already appear ready to bury the hatchet after a tough primary fight. Things should heat up rapidly as the general election cycle begins in the morning.

Youngest campaigner seen so far .... nine-month old Nathaniel at the Public Library.

Most disappointed candidate? Quite possibly Mike Lake, a longshot candidate for state auditor. Lake's people, apparently looking to gain the benefit of exposure without actually being present, stuck campaign signs in the ground overnight at the library area and the senior center area. However, those signs were removed by Police, as it is illegal to stick campaign signs in the ground on town-owned land. This is something Lake and his campaign staff should have been aware of.

The polls close in 90 minutes!

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7:40 p.m. I'll have to take back some of what i just said. Seems the general election has already started. I'm down at the Senior Center where State Rep. Jim Micelli D-Wilmington and his November challenger, Republican Mario Marchese of Wilmington are standing outside campaigning ... about 10 feet from each other! Neither of these guys has a primary challenger but they are gtting a head start on November....

There has been a lare surge of voters at the Senior center ... If I had to predict I would say turnout will end up at around 23 percent of the registered voters.... not bad for a primary.

The campaign workers at the Senior Center are vigilant and doing their jobs well. AS I walked around with my laptop, two of them approached me and wanted to make sure that i wasnt a campaign worker with the name of a candidate on my laptop. Of course on closer inspection they found that the only name on my computer is Patch.

I'll be heading to Town Hall for the results. Check back after 8 p.m. to find out the winners.

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10 p.m. Final vote totals are trickling in but your winners are Republican Jamison Tomacek and Democrat Barry Finegold in the race for the State Senate seat vacated by Susan Tucker; and Democrat Pat Commane and Republican Paul Adams in the race for the state rep. seat in the 17th Essex District that is currently held by Finegold. In the 19th Middlesex District, Republican Mario Marchese and Democrat incumbent James Miceli were unopposed.

"We ran a good race," said Pat Rahilly of Tewksbury, who lost to Tomacek. "We stuck with our game plan, went door-to-door and got the message out. Obviously we hoped it would turn out better."

A complete recap with reactions from candidates will appear Wednesday morning in Tewksbury Patch.