Campaign signs outside of a Harrisburg polling location at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church on Green Street.
Brenda Coles came out of the Edison Village polling location in Allison Hill on Tuesday morning proudly wearing her “I Voted” sticker.
“I’m a super voter,” she said. “It’s my right to vote, and that’s why I came out. It’s important on many levels.”
While Coles balked at the idea that someone wouldn’t exercise that right, it’s often the reality when it comes to municipal elections—turnout is low.
Unsurprisingly, in-person voting for the 2021 municipal election was off to a relatively slow start on Tuesday morning in Harrisburg, despite 31,770 residents being registered to vote.
Voters trickled into polling places across the city, while others opted to vote by mail. Residents cast their votes for a range of locally elected positions, including Harrisburg mayor, school board directors and City Council members.
Around mid-morning, many polling locations in Harrisburg had fewer than 60 voters turn out.
Countywide, Dauphin County reported receiving 15,481 mail-in ballots by noon.
Many voters, like Coles, headed to the polls simply because that’s what they do for every election.
“It’s my duty to vote,” said Walter Barnes, who was casting his vote at Camp Curtin Academy on N. 6th Street. “The thing that is important to me is my community.”
But other residents felt strongly about certain candidates and came out to support them.
City Council President Wanda Williams holds the Democratic nomination for mayor and Timothy Rowbottom is the Republican nominee. However, incumbent Mayor Eric Papenfuse, who has served two terms and narrowly lost the Democratic nomination in May, threw his hat back in the ring, launching a write-in campaign in mid-September.
“I voted for Wanda,” said Cheryl Holton, who cast her ballot at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on N. 3rd Street. “I’ve been watching her on city council. She’s been very responsive to the issues in the community.”
Holton said that she believes Williams has been easily approachable and concerned about addressing issues like policing and trash cleanups in the city.
Others, like Frank Novaleski, who also voted at the cathedral, hope to see Papenfuse in office for another term.
“I really want to see Eric Papenfuse back in,” he said. “I think he’s done a good job.”
Harrisburg resident Yaqinah Abdurrahman wasn’t impressed by many of the names on the ballot, choosing instead to write in candidates for most positions, she said.
“I think we need fresh ideas,” she said.
Many candidates were out at the polls on Tuesday, including Williams, who said that she was feeling confident.
“I’m feeling good; I feel like a winner,” she said as she greeted voters at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
Outside of Camp Curtin Academy, Papenfuse instructed voters how to write him in for mayor.
“I’m feeling optimistic,” he said. “It’s very easy to do the write-in.”
Votes won’t begin being counted until the polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night. Additionally, there may not be clear winners until write-in votes are tallied and all mail-in ballots, which aren’t due until Wednesday night, are counted.
For Dauphin County Elections information and results, visit their website.
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