SPENCER — Voters in Spencer are traditionally greeted by many of the candidates themselves, who spend most of the day camped out in front of Town Hall.
Today was no different, with a half-dozen candidates enjoying congenial conversation with each other while waiting for the next voter to appear.
Turnout started slowly but was picking up this afternoon in Spencer, where 181 people had voted at 3:45 p.m.
Thirty-eight people voted early. There are more than 2,200 registered voters in the town.
Turnout in municipal elections, which are held in odd-numbered years, is traditionally low, but new Spencer Chief Judge Tim Norman said he hoped to surpass the turnout total in the 2011 municipal election.
Voter Betsy Rich said she wouldn’t miss the chance to cast a ballot.
“My son is a stickler about voting,” Rich said. “I have the same feeling of responsibility.”
All six incumbent aldermen — Scott Benfield, Kevin Jones, Reid Walters, Jeff Morris, David Smith and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Gobbel — are running for re-election. Challengers Mike Boone and Rashid Muhammad hope to unseat an incumbent.
Mayor Jody Everhart is running unopposed.
Polls are open until 7:30 p.m.