Voices From the Polls: Brambleton

By Matt Brooks (Contact)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Briar Woods High School in Brambleton was one of the most crowded polling places early Tuesday morning. When the doors opened at 6 a.m. a line stretched through the halls, out the front door and into the parking lot. One voter fainted while waiting just outside the doors to the cafeteria.

More than 1,000 had cast their ballots by 7:30 a.m. and by 9 a.m., 1,660 votes were in. Democratic and Republican party volunteers were in full force in front of the school, handing out sample party ballots as voters trickled into the building and rewarding them with free snacks as the left. After the initial rush, the crowd was manageable enough for voters to get in and out in under an hour.

Here are a few thoughts from some of those voters and the resident Chief Election Officer on the crowds, the voting process and the key issues for Ashburn residents in this election.

Ellice Kark - Chief Election Officer

Ellice Kark was the Chief Election Officer at Briar Woods High School in Brambleton. She has volunteered in polling places for several years but it was her medical experience that came in handy when a woman passed out while waiting in the long lines early this morning.

LE: What were the lines like when the polls first opened this morning?

Ellice Kark: "This morning we had quite a line and we had a woman waiting about 10 feet from the door who passed out. Immediately our line greeter came and got me and we called 911. I went out, I’m a medic and there was a nurse practitioner there. It was a pregnant woman who got overheated. We brought her inside, gave her juice and her husband came and got her. The rescue squad was here really quickly along with the sheriff. No big commotion."

LE: What's the flow been like today? You said you had a lot of people early on but how has the day been going overall so far?

Ellice Kark: "It's been going well. It was a little hectic when I went out to greet the poll workers this morning at 6 a.m. The line was all the way around the parking lot, through the circle. I would say there were probably a good 5-to-600 people in line. But it's been working very steadily. We assured people that while the line was long outside, once they got into the voting place, it would be very quick. I think the average wait in here has been about 10 minutes from start to finish."

Chitra Ram, 30 - Brambleton

Chitra Ram wouldn't directly say who she voted for, but she tried to make it as clear as possible through her answers. She's not sold on all the talk of 'change' coming from both campaigns but hopes her candidate will be able to change things for the better.

LE: How long did you have to wait to vote this morning?

Chitra Ram: "Forty-five minutes, maybe."

LE: Was it worth it?

Chitra Ram: "Of course."

LE: What are some of the key issues for you, personally, this election?

Chitra Ram: "I just hope something good happens to the country. I don't really believe in change or anything, but anything that is good, that's all I want."

LE: What was the biggest factor that drew you out to the polls – the presidential election, the senatorial and congressional races, the ballot measures?

Chitra Ram: "The presidential election. This country really needs reformation. Hopefully – I'm not saying I want Obama or McCain – I just want somebody who can fix the country."

LE: How did that desire for reformation help you decide who you wanted to vote for?

Chitra Ram: "I wanted somebody who's not overpromising. Somebody who's not just trying to just get all the votes and basically do nothing. Somebody who's realistic – so I'm sure you guessed who I voted for."

Feraidoon Sarwar, 38 - Brambleton, Obama supporter

Feraidoon Sarwar was pleasantly surprised by the short wait he found at Briar Woods on what he called "D-Day." He supports Barack Obama for his potential to repair the economy and reunite the nation.

LE: How long did you have to wait to vote this morning?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "It was roughly an hour."

LE: Do you think that type of wait, or a longer one, might deter some people from coming out here to vote today?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "Most of what I heard the last couple days on TV in the general media was waits of four hours, eight hours and beyond, even in early voting. But I think most of that was in other states where they had sizeable early voting. I took into consideration, the operation variance in the county. This is a relatively newer area, so I didn't expect a big population. I'm sure if you go inside the Beltway, it would a vastly different situation."

LE: Did you consider voting early? What made you decide to vote on Election Day?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "I looked into early voting to try to avoid the scare of long waits on D-Day, but the process seemed a little more complicated with the reasoning on the forms, so I decided why not do it the old-fashioned way."

LE: What were some of the key issues for you this election that dictated who you ended up voting for?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "Mainly the economy and reuniting the nation. Those are the top two issues for me. Hopefully we will come out of this much more focused and determined and ’09 will be a better year than the last eight.”

LE: Do you mind me asking who you voted for?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "I voted for Barack Obama."

LE: What specifically about his vision led you to choose him as your candidate?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "I followed closely over the course of the campaign and his ability to stay focused on the issues as well as his acceptance as more of a not strictly-partisan person is what made my final decision."

LE: What do you think about the other elections and the ballot measures people are voting on today?

Feraidoon Sarwar: "One thing I noticed that had me thinking was for local expenditures, with the education expenditures – elementary, middle, high school choices – I'm wondering what people might take into consideration given the rough times in the economy. Last time I voted I thought people are much more at ease. My take was that these kinds of items will now definitely stop people to think a second longer when making their choice. But hopefully things will look better soon."

T.J. Magulik, 39 - Ashburn, McCain supporter

As a father of two, T.J. Magulik is concerned about keeping the still-developing Brambleton community fully financed so its key institutions and services can thrive. On the presidential forefront, he's looking for a proven leader with a track record that backs up his promises on the campaign trail.

LE: What was it like in there today? Did it take longer or shorter than you expected?

T.J. Magulik: "For me it was really fast. There was nobody in my line for M through O but other lines were kind of long."

LE: What were you expecting, did you think there would be lines around the block?

T.J. Magulik: "I had heard about that, especially with the early voting. So I was anticipating the worst."

LE: What were some of the key issues for you this election and how did those determine who you voted for?

T.J. Magulik: "I think there were a lot of factors going into it, but really the experience in the Senate and on the Hill in general was a big thing for me. And I think the troop withdrawal plan really needs to be done correctly. There are just too many things going on to give it to a novice."

LE: A lot of people are calling this the most important election in for this generation. Do you feel that way? And what tasks do you think are ahead of whichever candidate is elected?

T.J. Magulik: "The economy is going to be a big challenge no matter who wins. And I think that the global perception of the United States is going to be a big thing. But really, first thing first, we need to take care of our issues at home and focus really on fixing our own house and getting our two parties to talk to each other instead of playing petty games and making it about extreme politics."

LE: It sounds like the presidential election was the main reason you came out today, but there are several other elections and ballot issues that you also voted for. What are your thoughts on the other items on the ballot?

T.J. Magulik: "On the other stuff I'm thinking I've got two kids that are growing up in this area and really I think it's important to have a lot of spending for the schools and the fire department and the things that keep our community safe and really keep this place thriving as we move on into the future."

Tagged: elections, November 2008 Elections

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