Some students and residents turn out for election

Regis Kaingera is a 73-year-old student who wanted a day off on Tuesday.

“It should be a day off, a holiday. It would encourage more people to come out and vote,” the Master’s degree candidate said outside the State College municipal building after voting.

The significance of this year’s election is that there are three possible candidates for mayor after the unexpected death of late Mayor Bill Welch, who was going to run unopposed. 

Elizabeth Goreham, a Democrat, is the president of the State College Borough Council. Joe Wakeley a Republican, and Jeff Kern, an independent, are both former members of the council as well. 

The other big race is for district attorney, which includes incumbent Republican Michael Madeira and Democratic challenger Stacey Parks Miller.

A constant problem that Lynn Nasal, another voter and retiree wants the next mayor to take care of is noise in her area of residence.

“I think they need to get some control over all these kids downtown. I live in downtown and in the four years that we’ve been here, it’s really become an issue,” she said.

Both Kaingera and Nasal voted for Parks Miller for D.A. because they have voted democratic their whole life and because they think she is the most qualified.

“She comes highly recommended,” said professor James McCarthy after casting his vote early evening at a busy polling station at The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church on Sparks Street.

”I read her Web site, and I liked it, and she’s a Democrat, and I nearly always vote democratic,” he said. 

Kaingera, Nasal and McCarthy all voted Goreham for mayor for the same reasons.

“Again, qualifications mean a lot,” emphasized Kaingera.

Students turned out late afternoon to vote at the HUB as well. Among them was junior Lara Halusczak, who voted at the local election in State College for the first time. Even though Halusczak is a registered Democrat, she won’t necessarily vote for democratic candidates.

“I don’t vote strictly party. I vote for whoever I think does the best job,” she said.

Halusczak believes that all elections are important, big or small, local or not.

“Essentially some of the people you vote for in small elections end up playing a part in bigger elections. Every part of it is an important process,” she says.

However, some students like junior Chelsea Marson couldn’t be more apathetic about politics and voting.

“I honestly did not know that there was an election today. I guess I just don’t pay that much attention,” she said.

Some of Marson’s lack of interest stems from the fact that this is a local election and she is new to State College this year.

“I’m not from here and even if I was, I still wouldn’t care,” she said.

On the other hand, Kaingera says that it’s his responsibility to care and to vote.

“I come out ‘cause it’s election day and it’s my duty.”