Scenes From A Poll: Back Bay
Location:
Boston Public Library
Time:
5:30pm
It's a good thing that there are millions of books for voters to read
while they wait on line at the Boston Public Library. Of course, not
everybody has to queue; while there's a quick skate for Ward 5
Precinct 8, the line for Precinct 9 was more than an hour long at
5:45pm, and is probably much worse than that by now. People were
entering in flocks as I was leaving; the wait was all the way up to
the information desk and heading for the front door (though there's
no need to bring it outside if they just snake up in the giant
foyer).
It's a funny group at the BPL, with obvious tension between the
wealthy older folks who typically vote there with no problem, and the
college and graduate students who are seemingly ruining their
evening. Some were also there this morning, but left because of even
longer waits. Is there a complicated issue that's leading to such
backup at the Precinct 8 station? Maybe, maybe not. But from my
observations there are absolutely lots of students out in general
today, and I haven't even been to Allston-Brighton, which I hear has
its own issues.