All Day Election Coverage: Winding Down A Day Of Voting

UPDATE 8:10 p.m.: Polls are open for just about another hour and Wall Patch will update this site with election results as they come in as we continue our all day election coverage.

Wall Patch has been speaking with voters all day today outside polling places all over town. Outside the South Wall Firehouse Wednesday afternoon, we spoke with Mike Galos, a project manager who had casted his vote just minutes before.

“You got to vote yes,” said Galos, 36, of Pennsylvania Ave. “For too many years the budget was voted down. There’s too much on the line if it’s voted down again this time.”

Galos said he has children who attend Old Mill School and was concerned about the possible closure of West Belmar School.

“The closure of West Belmar School affects all the schools,’’ Galos said.

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UPDATE 7:15 p.m.: With just less than two hours left before polling closes on this year’s school board elections, Wall Patch has asked several leaving polling stations what brought them to the polls this time.

For Peggy Russo, of Pilgrim Place, the motiviation was the district’s budget. And Russo, a teacher, was frank about her choice:

“I voted yes on the budget,’’ Russo said, leaving polling district #1.

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UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Voters streamed into voting booths throughout Wall on Wednesday as poll workers said turnout was steady throughout the daylight hours.

Mayor Ann Marie Conte was among those casting ballots Wednesday afternoon at Central School, site of the polling station for district #1.

“I think its important for everyone to vote in elections – not just school board elections, but all elections,’’ Conte said. “I’ve heard turnout is good. I hope the budget passes.’’

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UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: The voting machine that momentarily went down at the West Belmar Fire House just after polls opened today has had no further problems, poll workers there said.

The machine designated for district #7 malfunctioned earlier today, but was repaired minutes later. Voters were offered paper ballots while the machine was repaired.

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UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: As voters head to the polls to vote on the school district's budget and four candidates for the Board of Education, Wall Patch has asked residents leaving the polls what brought them out:

“I’m here for my daughter's future," said Thomas Brennan, of Carmerville Road. "I’m going to vote for her but I’ve also come to vote on the proposed closing of West Belmar School." 

The closure of West Belmar School has been shelved by the Board of Education, but has not been ruled out if the budget fails today at the polls.

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UPDATE 4:40 p.m.: Poll workers at many polling stations throughout Wall Township are reporting a steady flow of voters for today's school board elections.

By 4 p.m. at Allenwood School, the polling station for voting district #17, workers said turnout had been steady since polls opened.

And as streams of people filed into the South Wall Firehouse on Atlantic Ave., the polling station for districts #2, #9 and #16, workers there said turnout also was steady by 4:15 p.m.

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UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: An hour and a half into the voting day, poll workers at Central School said about 50 people have voted in district #1, which is experiencing a lull in voting now.

One of the first people to cast a ballot at the West Belmar Firehouse polling station was Melanie Giblin, of Walling St.

“I’m here to support the kids, the budget, the custodians and the best candidates for the Board of Education,’’ said Giblin, who was instrumental in the Save West Belmar School initiative. “I feel like it (the budget) will pass.’’

M.J. McDonough, another voter at the West Belmar Firehouse said she was concerned because she has heard people complaining that they can’t afford to stay in Wall anymore.

“This is your opportunity to have your say,” McDonough said. “I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
”

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UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: The malfunctioning voting machine at the West Belmar Fire House polling station has been repaired after a downtime of several minutes.

The machine, used for district #7, went down a few minutes after polls opened. A mechanic was summoned and the machine was running again by 2:50 p.m.

The West Belmar Fire House is the polling station for districts#3 and #7. Voters in district #7 used paper ballots while the machine was down. Voters in district #3 were unaffected.

Guy Ricca, the county voting machine mechanic, said the downed machine had an electrical problem but should be fine for the remainder of the day.

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UPDATE 2:40 p.m.: Just minutes into the election day, a polling  machine has gone down at the West Belmar Fire Station, the polling place for residents in voting districts #3 and #7.

Jack Miller, election worker, said the county, which owns the machines, has been alerted and a mechanic was on the way.

The broken machine was used for district #7. Those voters are using paper ballots until the machine is fixed, election workers said.

But Robert Marquand, of Route 35, cast the last vote before the machine went down. Marquand, a 61-year-old plumber, said he came out to support the district's budget. He will  have to come back a second time to cast his ballot, however.

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After weeks of campaigning, budget meetings, phone calls and flyers, polls in the township's 18 voting districts are open for the 2011 School Board elections.

Polls will remain open until 9 p.m. tonight. Please check back frequently with Wall Patch as we update with the latest information as the day progresses.

The school district is asking voters to approve a $56,829,239 million tax levy in support of its $61,039,000 million 2011-12 budget. It is also asking voters to approve an additional levy of $324,830 to retain six custodians not included in the budget.

Voters also will have a slate of eight candidates to choose for four seats on the Board of Education.

They are: 

Incumbents David Wren, 3243 Rambling Hill Ct., Douglas Wild, 2131 Old Mill Road, and Pamela Perrotto, 2315 Xanadu Lane. 

Challenging them are five newcomers: Robin Cervantes, 2009 Tally Ho Drive; Timothy Farrell, 1601 Walton Way; Anne Moonan, 1910 Sherwood Drive; Joseph Tonzola, 2400 Lincoln Ave.; and John Tavis, 1610 Holly Blvd.

Tavis and Perotto are running for the one-year unexpired term of former board member Michael Bogner, who resigned in July, 2010.

Cervantes, Farrell, Moonan, Tonzola, Wren and Wild are all running for full, three-year terms.

Please see our for full information on the candidates and their positions as well as a plethora of additional voting information.