Residents: All Voters in One Place Better Than Expected

With all Bedminster residents voting at the municipal building on Miller Lane because of power outages throughout the township, it could have become a chaotic scene—but many residents said they thought it was smoother than usual.

"I saw the traffic when I got here, and I thought I would have to wait," said resident Nancy Simson. "But it was a five-minute line, very organized."

And resident Robbie Lert said she actually prefers having everyone voting in the same place.

"I think it is more productive, and costs less than it does to have more than one place," she said. "Voting is the one unifying thing that pulls people out of their homes."

"All hail the Republicans on the town committee for deciding this," she added.

Lert said she doesn't believe the situation of the hurricane is stopping anyone from heading to the polls.

"I am seeing people doing whatever they can to vote," she said.

With a steady stream of people flowing into the municipal building to vote, the line continued to build around 2 p.m. Tuesday as more people arrived to cast their votes.

Resident Meg Bartell, who left Bedminster until her power returned, said she believes that if people were that short on gas, they might opt not to come out for the elections.

Simson said she believes that those who opted out of voting for that reason may not have been that interested anyway.

"I think the gas problem is alleviating," she said, adding that she got her power restored Sunday. "I had no wait yesterday at the Exxon by Kings."

"If that's people's excuse, I don't think they're that interested in voting," she added.

But Bedminster resident Sandra, who declined to give her last name, said she was tempted not to vote if the line had been too long.

"Things are so crazy and people are so stressed," she said, adding that her office does not have power at this point. "I think people don't care enough."

Fortunately, Sandra said, the process was quick.

"I thought it was going to be really crazy," she said. "But it was quick."

Polls will be open until 8 p.m.