Politics & Government

Polls Busy Despite Morris Avenue Road Work

Polls close at 8 p.m.

Update: 
According to Assistant Town Engineer Sam Mardini, the contractor working on the crosswalks at Morris Avenue and Caldwell Place should be finished by 2 p.m. The road is open and the intersection at Morris and Caldwell is only closed for vehicles making right turns from Morris to Caldwell. The intersection will be fully open in 30 minutes, Mardini advised at 1:15 p.m. 

Original:

Poll workers throughout Springfield Township agreed they've been busy since doors to voting locations opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

A steady stream of residents passed through the Sarah Baily Civic Center and the Presbyterian Parish House as well as Edward Walton. Voters at Caldwell School faced a challenge casting their ballots, they said, thanks to construction at Morris Avenue and Caldwell Place. 

"Everybody's complaining about the road work," said Caldwell School poll worker Rosalie Berger. "I talked to the Town Clerk and she was going to speak to Sam (Mardini, Assistant Town Engineer) about stopping it so cars could get through. It wasn't supposed to be happening today."

One resident said she was nervous when she saw that the street appeared to be closed but followed the detour and was able to get through without further difficulty.

Berger also said because Springfield public schools are closed today, the heat in the building did not come on until 10 a.m., making for chilly conditions for workers who started the day at 5:15 a.m. 

Marcy Brooks, working at the Presbyterian Parish House, said voters got an early start this Election Day and turnout was "good" Tuesday morning.

Across the street at Sarah Bailey, Township Committee member Margaret Bandrowski agreed that while there were no crowds, voting was steady. 

An email to Town Clerk Linda Donnelly to find out if road work would be suspended at Caldwell Place was not immediately returned. 

For more on today's election, click here. 


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