First-time joy, youthful activism in East Lyme

In a portable beach chair several yards down the walkway that leads into East Lyme High School, but in the direct path of folks en route to the polls, 15-year-old sophomore Emma Frisbie was seated alone behind a large poster propped against her knees.

“VOTE FOR MY FUTURE,” the sign said, with further decorations symbolizing specific activist causes.

“I can’t vote yet,” Frisbie said, “so I want to ask those who can vote: ‘What policies are you setting? What rights do I have for my future?’ This election is about so much. Women’s rights, the future of the earth, LGBTQ rights … It’s terrifying to me that I can’t do anything about this.”

When it was pointed out that Frisbie was “doing something” by sacrificing a school off day by being in her chair at a polling place, she smiled. “Yes, thank you,” she said. “I can do this and I’m glad to.”

The married couple Steve and Tracy Michels were all smiles leaving the voting booths and headed for their car. Both sported “I VOTED” stickers – but Steve’s was placed on his forehead like the tattoo Post Malone forgot.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever voted, and I’m excited,” he said. “I wasn’t sure how to do it.” He laughed and pointed at his wife. “She had to walk me through it.”

Tracy, a former poll worker who has always voted, said, “He finally felt passionate enough about the issues to do it. To me, it’s a wonderful opportunity and a right to be utilized. But if someone’s not informed or doesn’t take the time to learn about the issues, don’t vote.”

“Right now, there’s a pretty extreme divide in our country,” Steve said. “I thought it was time.”

Groton: Wind and cookies

At the edge of the expansive open-air plaza in front of the Groton City Municipal Building, campaign worker Martha Sligh, holding over/under democratic candidate signs against a strong breeze, looked almost as though she was trying to fly a kite.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Whatever it takes.” Sligh said she was working several two-hour shifts and rotating from one polling spot to the next. “It’s been interesting. There’s a steady stream of voters, but not too heavy. A lot voted early.”

She stopped to greet a man and woman headed inside to cast their ballots. “Good morning!” she said. Sligh received a grim nod in response. It was suggested the couple may not have agreed with the party affiliation on her signs.

“Probably not,” she laughed. “But some of them actually snarl at me. And that’s OK. I think both sides are scared, so there’s a little more tension. Obviously, I have my preferences, but I’m happy when anyone votes.”

On the top steps of the Municipal Building, Zachary Williams emerged clutching two boxes of Girl Scout Cookies he’d purchased from a fundraising table in the foyer. Asked whether he was happier about voting or about his investment in baked goods, he said, “Well, the cookies are pretty sweet. Plus, I got to miss work if I voted.”

Realizing it sounded as though maybe he wasn’t fully invested in the democratic process, Williams explained, “I’m happy to vote. It’s just that, last time, I voted for Bernie Sanders. Frankly, who did that ultimately benefit? I’m a member of the Green Party, so sometimes it seems like you’re throwing your vote in a pond. I wasn’t sure it was worth it.

“But I showed up at work without an “I VOTED” sticker and my co-workers pressured me into voting and I could leave work to do it. So I figured they were right and came over. I voted my conscience and now I have cookies.”

Sunrise in New London

At 6 a.m. Tuesday, there were no candidates or campaign workers standing at the 75-foot limit outside the polling place at Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School in New London. Just inside the school’s hallway, about 20 people were lined up inside the hallway at Nathan Hale School in New London. The clock on the wall said 7 a.m., indicating a custodial lapse in the wake of the recent Daylight Savings Time adjustment.

One of the first voters was Dr. George Sprecace, a physician/attorney, who said he’s always up early but voting was his Tuesday priority. “I go back a long time,” he said, “and this is the first time I’ve never had a prediction. It’s going to be close, but I’m not going to vote for that dingbat.”

Tommie Major also turned up early. “I time it this way,” he said. “This is a traditional day but there’s a real sense of urgency this year. It’s important that we all vote.”

Bryan Doughty and his daughter Brinn Doughty were in a clearly happy mood. “For one thing, everyone should take advantage of this opportunity,” Bryan said. “And we’re in 100 percent good spirits. I finally got to vote for someone I WANTED to vote for.”

Brinn, who went to college in Florida and voted early in the 2020 election, said, “It’s the first time I’ve voted in person in a presidential election. I wanted to see what the process was like. It was quick and well organized.”

Dennis Piscitello emerged from voting and suggested it’s going to be an busy process. “I’ve lived on Montauk Avenue 74 years,” he said. “I’ve never seen so many campaign signs on the lawn at Harbor School. You can’t even read the candidates’ names, there are so many of them.”

New London voters also have another choice: They can select between two “I VOTED” stickers. One is the traditional design; the other, created by New London Multi-Magnet High School student Merci Shaw-Savage, was selected as the winner of the New London Registrar of Voters Office’s inaugural “I VOTED” sticker contest. Shaw-Savage’s design shows a lighthouse rising out of a cerulean sea. The lighthouse beam illuminates the words “Yo Voté” and “I Voted.”

“We loved Merci's colorful art. The lighthouse suggests shining a light on future possibilities,” said Rich Martin, the city’s Democratic Registrar.

Baked goods and merch in Waterford

At Waterford Town Hall, a steady stream of traffic eased in and out of the parking lot. Standing at the intersection, Beth Sabilia, the former mayor of New London, was dancing in lightly aerobic fashion and she proffered first one or then another campaign sign for Democratic candidates.

“I’ve been up since four and working the phones for months,” Sabilia said. “This is historic. I’ll be out here for a while and then move inside and watch as they count the early votes.

Two large buffet tables were positioned between the entry and exit doors of Town Hall, optimally placed to attract voters coming and going. Staffed by volunteers of the Waterford High School Safe Graduation Party organization, they offered an array of home-baked goods as well as boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts.

Volunteering were WHS moms Candy Heikkinen, Suzanne Sturm, Kristina Gordy and Julie Watson Jones, the latter of whom served as a voter registrar from 2015-2022.

While there was a steady stream of voters, it wasn’t as busy as one might suspect given the heightened anxiety of this year’s presidential election.

“I think that’s because do many people took advantage of early voting,” said Watson Jones, unpacking Waterford High School flannel sweat pants for sale. “The average has been 400 a day. It’s been an easy process and popular.”

Resident Mike Desmond said he was up early because that’s his routine -- as opposed to any specific urgency for this election. “I’m glad to be here and to get to vote. I’m on it every time there’s an election.”

Last ballots cast at a closed New London school

Election Day voter turn-out by early afternoon was steady at New London’s three polling places despite nearly 19% of the city’s registered voters previously taking advantage of early voting access.

As of noon, 2,133 voters had cast ballots, Democratic Registrar of Voters Rich Martin said.

“And it’s been non-stop with same-day voter registration,” he said, with 118 residents registering within six hours on Tuesday morning.

This election will likely mark the last in which the city’s District 2 voters will cast ballots at the Harbor Elementary School on Montauk Avenue.

The 104-year-old school was shuttered in June 2023 and officials are still deciding whether to sell or demolish the structure. Martin said the school was kept active as a polling place as to not cause any voter confusion during a presidential election cycle.

“It’s literally right down the street ― two blocks ― from where I live,” Danisha Watley said Tuesday morning after casting her ballot inside a school annex. “I’ve been voting at this school ever since I moved here 10 years ago. I can walk right down here.”

At the Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School on Beech Drive, gusty winds toppled voter parking signs and sent leaves skittering past a row of candidate campaign placards.

Kevin Cavanagh, who stood outside the District 3 polling site at 12:15 p.m., said a modest stream of voters passed him in the 30 minutes he’d been at the school.

“It hasn’t been overwhelming and everyone seems calm and relaxed,” Cavanagh said.

Norwich high school students campaign for state referendum question

Twin sisters Niree and Nishay Shankle, 16, of Norwich, and friend Christall Ake, 16, of Norwich, are too young to vote, but they spent their day off from school at Norwich Free Academy holding signs outside the Rose City Senior Center urging voters to “vote yes” on the state referendum question. The referendum asks voters if they support authorizing the state legislature to enact no-restriction absentee ballot voting.

The three students are members of the NFA Young Voters Society and the Norwich NAACP Robertsine Duncan Youth Council.

“We just wanted to come out here and support absentee voting,” Ake said.