It's official.
At 9:30 p.m. PhillyClout is calling the District Attorney and Controller Races for Democrats Seth Williams and Alan Butkovitz.
With 63 percent of precincts reporting, Williams had 72 percent of the vote, compared with 28 percent for his Republican opponent Michael Untermeyer. Williams, a former city inspector general, will replace longtime DA Lynne Abraham, who steps down at the end of this year.
Incumbent Butkovitz had 69 percent of the vote, compared with 31 for his GOP challenger Al Schmidt.
Election Category: DISTRICT ATTORNEY
41.21 % 694/1684 Precincts Completed.
WILLIAMS, R SETH DEMOCRATIC 38986 70.41 %
UNTERMEYER, MICHAEL W REPUBLICAN 16371 29.57 %
Write In 13 0.02 %
Election Category: CONTROLLER
41.21 % 694/1684 Precincts Completed.
BUTKOVITZ, ALAN L DEMOCRATIC 36321 68.33 %
SCHMIDT, AL REPUBLICAN 16821 31.64 %
Ok, here it is so far for District Attorney and Controller. We've bolded the leaders:
Election Category: DISTRICT ATTORNEY
21.73 % 366/1684 Precincts Completed.
WILLIAMS, R SETH DEMOCRATIC 19173 70.44 %
UNTERMEYER, MICHAEL W REPUBLICAN 8039 29.54 %
Election Category: CONTROLLER
21.73 % 366/1684 Precincts Completed.
BUTKOVITZ, ALAN L DEMOCRATIC 18137 69.41 %
SCHMIDT, AL REPUBLICAN 7986 30.56 %
Ok, here it is so far for District Attorney and Controller. We've bolded the leaders:
Election Category: DISTRICT ATTORNEY
6.24 % 105/1684 Precincts Completed.
WILLIAMS, R SETH DEMOCRATIC 5295 73.73 %
UNTERMEYER, MICHAEL W REPUBLICAN 1885 26.25 %
Election Category: CONTROLLER
6.24 % 105/1684 Precincts Completed.
BUTKOVITZ, ALAN L DEMOCRATIC 4941 72.23 %
SCHMIDT, AL REPUBLICAN 1897 27.73 %
So that's it for voting folks. The polls have officially closed on what can only be described as a lackluster Election Day. We'll keep you updated on results as the night progresses.
With voter turnout dismally low, some committee people questioned the effort to extend hours at the polls today.
"You know what's worse than working 13 hours with nobody showing up? Working 14 hours with nobody showing up," said Kathleen Widman, a Republican committee person in the 55th Ward's 29th division.
Widman said today's turnout was among the worst she'd seen since becoming a committee person in 1977. As of about 3 p.m., the polling place had 57 voters. "It's a joke," Widman added.
Ellen Kaplan, vice president and policy director for the Committee of 70 just reported from Election Court that a motion to keep polling places open an extra hour tonight has been denied.
"Although the Judge was 'extremely sympathetic' to voters who are experiencing any inconvenience due to the SEPTA strike, the ruling was that 'there is just not enough of an undue burden or hardship shown' to 'overturn the statute,'" Kaplan emailed.
The Democratic City Committee, Mayor Nutter, District Attorney candidate Seth Williams, the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity and the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP had all asked for the one hour extension on voting hours, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Philadelphia City Commission, which runs elections here, opposed the request for an extra hour of voting time, saying the logistics of alerting every polling place in the city were too difficult.
The Democratic City Committee just released this statement from Sam Stretton, the attorney who argued its case in Election Court: “This is an extremely unfortunate decision by the Board of Elections that will potentially disenfranchise thousands of Philadelphia voters who rely heavily on public transportation and who may not be able to get to their polling places in time as a result of the late, surprise strike called overnight by the largest of the SEPTA unions.”
Just as it is a slow Election Day, it's also been pretty quiet over at the Famous Fourth Street Deli, the traditional lunchtime gathering spot for Philadelphia politicians.
Chris Brennan reports that Democratic state Supreme Court candidate Jack Panella is in the crowd, along with outgoing District Attorney Lynne Abraham, state Rep. Brendan Boyle and state Rep. Mike O'Brien.
The big head turner over there today was former "Big Brother" cast member Will Mega, who plans to take on Louise Bishop in the 192nd District in the state House. He arrived in a white stretch Hummer limo, which took up much of a city block parked outside the lunch spot.
Today’s General Election serves as the kick-off for the May 2010 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, who recently jumped from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, faces primary challenges from four candidates. Former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, who almost unseated Specter in a Republican primary in 2004, is expected to be his party’s nominee for the November 2010 General Election. Who will win the Democratic Primary?
Click here to go to Philly.com's politics page.
- Poll: Who will win the Democratic Primary? (25 votes)
Today’s General Election serves as the kick-off for the May 2010 Republican and Democratic primaries for governor. With the governor’s post open next year, which candidate will prevail in the November 2010 General Election?
Click here to go to Philly.com's politics page.
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Catherine Lucey luceyc@phillynews.com |
Chris Brennan brennac@phillynews.com |
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