Updated 3:15 p.m.
Shortly before 3 p.m. more than 50 percent of East Hampton's registered voters, about 4,500 people, had cast their ballots in the 2012 election, according to the town's head moderator, David Simko.
Simko said turnout by midafternoon had slowed to a steady flow, a bit more manageable than this morning when 85 people stood in line when the polls opened at 6 a.m.
He said there have been no election-related problems so far, except for the occassional over-zealous campaign worker or candidated who would occassionally breach the 75-foot mandated setback from the polls.
"We have an officer on duty and every now and then we have to send him out," Simko said.
Outside, campaign workers for Republican Melissa Ziobron, who is running for the 34th House District seat, huddled beneath an open-air tent and gave out free coffee and muffins to voters. They quickly pointed out that their operation was just outside of the 75-foot setback zone.
At the other end of the high school a volunteer for the campaign of Republican Art Linares, who is running for the 33rd State Senate District seat, handed out campaign stickers.
The town has one polling place, at 15 North Maple St., and is open until 8 p.m.
Update 10:30 a.m.
There were so many people driving to the Portland Senior Center to vote Tuesday morning that local police had to make traffic one-way on the adjacent Fairview Avenue.
A Portland officer told East Hampton-Portland Patch that this initially wasn't planned.
Meanwhile, inside, a line extended down the hallway in this town's sole polling location. Poll workers said that 1,600 votes were cast by 10 a.m. By comparison, there are roughly 6,000 registered voters in Portland.
The parking lot was also full of cars as local campaigns offered free doughnuts and food outside the polling place.
Original Story
Good morning, and welcome to Election Day 2012!
Today, East Hampton and Portland residents go to the polls to choose a president, a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Representative from the 2nd District and a state senator from the 33rd Senate District. In East Hampton voters will be electing a state representative from the 34th District and in Portland voters will cast ballots for a representative from the 32nd District.
See below for information on where to go to cast your ballot and information on how the towns voted in 2008, the year of the last presidential election, and in 2010, the last mid-term election. You can view a pdf your town's sample ballots above.
Read it over, then visit your local polling station between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. to make your voice heard! And be sure to check back with Patch for updates throughout the day, including the announcement of the winners as soon as votes are tallied.
East Hampton Polling Station
- East Hampton High School, 15 North Maple St.
How East Hampton Voted in 2008 (80.98% Turnout)
PRESIDENT
- Obama-Biden (D) — 2925 votes
- McCain-Palin (R) — 1845 votes
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND DISTRICT
- Joseph Courtney (D) — 4027
- Sean Sullivan (R) — 2280
STATE SENATE
- Eileen M. Daily — 3809
- Vincent A. Pacileo III — 2263
STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 34TH DISTRICT
- Gail Hamm (D) — 3538
- David Bauer (R) — 1103
How East Hampton Voted in 2010
(69.11% Turnout)
U.S. SENATE
- Blumenthal (D) — 2881 votes
- McMahon (R) — 2634 votes
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SECOND DISTRICT
- Joseph Courtney (D) — 2973 votes
- Janet Peckinpaugh (R) — 2523 votes
33rd SENATE DISTRICT
- Eileen Daily (D) — 2759 votes
- Neil Nichols (R) — 2541 votes
34th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
- Gail Hamm (D) — 2690 votes
- Earle Roberts (R) — 2802 votes
Portland Polling Station
- Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Ave.
How Portland Voted in 2008 (82.09% Turnout)
PRESIDENT
- Obama-Biden (D) — 3841 votes
- McCain-Palin (R) — 2895 votes
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FIRST DISTRICT
- John B. Larson (D) — 2876
- Joe Visconti (R) — 1349
STATE SENATE
- Eileen M. Daily — 2810
- Vincent A. Pacileo III — 1493
How Portland Voted in 2010 (64.55% Turnout)
U.S. SENATE
- Blumenthal (D) — 2040 votes
- McMahon (R) — 1768 votes
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FIRST DISTRICT
- John Larson (D) — 2179 votes
- Anne Brickley (R) — 1561 votes
33rd SENATE DISTRICT
- Eileen Daily (D) — 2040 votes
- Neil Nichols (R) — 1593 votes
32nd ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
- Jim O'Rourke (D) — 1857 votes
- Christie Carpino (R) — 1917 votes
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