Nov. 7, 2006 St. Thomas voters flooded to the polls Tuesday, where they were greeted, more often than not, by long lines. Many smiles, little complaining about the wait, and good-natured greetings and jibes about the candidates sounded as voters greeted one another.
There was an air of importance about the election this year. Though good humor abounded, people were vocal about a need for change. And everyone was confident his or her candidate was the one to bring that change about.
Lines formed early at the polling stations. One poll worker at Gladys Abraham Elementary School said, "They were here when I got to work at 5:30 a.m." The same was true at Charlotte Amalie High School, where workers said lines formed before 6:30 a.m. "I let them start a couple minutes before seven," said one worker.
Lines were already formed by 7 a.m. at Joseph Sibilly Elementary School when Cecile deJongh, wife of gubernatorial candidate John deJongh, came out to cast her vote. Looking calm, deJongh quipped that she wanted her youngest son, Julian, 9, to come with her, but he declined. "He said he didn't want to lose his perfect attendance record at school," she said. People lined up to hug deJongh and offer her words of encouragement and even congratulation.
Northside resident Natalie Knight and her two young sons, Jeremy and Jordan, were there to meet John deJongh. Jeremy asked him for a deJongh bracelet, and the candidate borrowed one from one of his campaign workers and placed it on Jeremy's wrist. Jeremy said it was the first time he had met the candidate.
There were a few voting glitches at Sibilly school. There are two polling places at the school, both of which bore signs saying "A to Z," causing confusion for the voters. At one point, a poll worker emerged from the upper building, where two lines had formed, to direct voters to the location where they had voted the last time.
Despite this, several people complained they had stood in one line only to be told once they reached the end that they needed to go to the other one. One man, Keith Webster, repeatedly asked a poll worker to clarify the situation by posting a sign. He said, "You are discouraging people from voting."
Similar problems existed at Gladys Abraham Elementary School. Resident Jeff Kreiner said he had been waiting in the wrong line for 45 minutes. This was about 10:30 a.m. "The letters on the signs outside were wrong," he said. The poll monitor said the situation had been rectified. She said there were only three poll workers at her end of the auditorium, but was quick to add that there were sufficient poll workers, just none available earlier to correct the signs.
At Addelita Cancryn Junior High School, a Frenchtown stronghold, supporters were out in numbers. "It's deJongh all the way," agreed Frenchtown residents Margie Caraballo and Alphonso Stalliard. "It's basically, a Frenchtown, down-street precinct," said Stalliard.
DeJongh's supporters stressed his business background as something they want to see in Government House. "DeJongh is a business person," Caraballo said. "I've known him almost all my life; he will get things done."
The Mapp-Liburd camp across the way was equally confident of their candidate. "It's Mapp all the way," said a supporter, who only wanted to be identified as Steve. Looking across at the deJongh supporters, he said, "They better be prepared. We have it sewed up. By the end of the day they'll be sorry."
Lined up in front of the Cancryn school entrance was a small group of Donastorg-Christian supporters. Supporter Florie Magras said, "It's looking good now. We're just quieter than the others," she smiled. "But it's looking good."
Donastorg had much more support at Gladys Abraham Elementary School, where the team was supported by the younger generation. A group of about seven Charlotte Amalie High School students, waving Donastorg-Christian signs, were vocal and articulate.
"We have a point," said student Tabali Williams. "Foncie does good things for us. He helps the youth."
"He was the only one to help us get textbooks," said Aleem Delugo.
Staunchly holding up a Mapp-Liburd sign outside Gladys Abraham Elementary School, Eurita Callwood said, "I listened to the debates on television. Out of all of them, Mapp was the only one with a plan, and that's why I support him. He has a plan, and he loves the V.I."
Winnika Phillip, who had been out since 6 a.m. holding her deJongh-Francis sign, said, "He says 'Together We Can.' And I know we can; we can do better."
Meanwhile, attorney Julita de Leon sat on the curb outside the school with a big smile, observing the action. "I'm watching people go and vote their own opinions. I'm seeing such optimism. This is democracy."
At CAHS, resident Wilbert Francis wasn't there to shout slogans or wave signs. Francis, a member of the disabled advocacy group, Voices That Count, was working as a "floater," going to the different precincts in order to help disabled voters cast their ballots.
There is a special machine at each polling station, Francis explained. He showed the mechanism, which allows a blind person to cast his or her own vote. There is a box on which they can indicate their choice, after hearing all the choices on earphones. "The process takes about 45 minutes," Francis said, "so the workers don't always have the time."
Francis said that often the workers will have blind persons simply sign an affidavit after telling their choices to someone they bring with them. "This is the fastest way," Francis said, "but the person doesn't know what the other person is writing down. I had a married couple come in today, and they said they were aware that we had these machines, and they wanted to exercise their right to vote." He paused, "I know how that feels," said Francis." She knows it's accessible, and she wants to do it on her own."
He said the husband opted to sign an affidavit because he had to get to work. Francis said he would have visited all the polling stations by the end of the day. At CAHS, he said "about 10 physically impaired had voted so far."
At Ulla Muller Elementary School it looked like Carnival, with cars, signs, music, and loudspeakers everywhere — and campaign workers almost arm in arm.
Standing amidst the chaos were some deJongh stalwarts, looking mighty pleased. "We had it by noon," said Henry Richardson of the Frenchtown Richardsons. "Look at the crowds, the bumper stickers, everyone is honking for us."
Richardson and Vincent Frazier, deJongh's campaign manager, were conducting an informal exit poll. "This is democracy in action," said Frazier. "I'm confident of a great big victory. It's been overwhelming so far."
Back at Addelita Cancryn, Sen. Louis Hill was campaigning with some of his supporters, while others nearby were sporting signs for Basil Ottley and Carlton Dowe.
Hill said, "I'm very optimistic, I have a great sense of hope and optimism to be part of the vision for the future."
Another observer who has been close to the Senate for years, said, "The race to watch is the at-large [incumbent Craig Barshinger and challenger Carmen W. Wesselhoft]. "If Barshinger gets in, it will be a Democratic majority."
Hill, a Democrat, agreed, "It will be a tough race."
It was anticipated there would be a record voter turnout today. During a 6 p.m. report on Radio One, Government House spokesman James O'Bryan said that as of 4 p.m., there was about a 40 percent turnout on St. Thomas.
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